Because God Loves Us, The Devil Takes An Interest
by ladyhouse
Summary: My name is Piper Harlow and when I was four years old, my life changed forever. There was drugs, there was domestic violence, there was fire, there was death, and there was the Devil. They say that if the Devil decides to intervene in your life, he'll have you forever...that is, until God made me choose a side.
1. Prologue

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Prologue**

 **Song(s): Broken Wings (Mr. Mister), Nights in White Satin (The Moody Blues)**

 _July, 1986_

Running his third red light as he cruised down Yonge Street, the dark-haired man felt the corners of his lips twitching in a slight smirk as he ran a hand over the scruff of his chin.

The night previous had been his last in the city of Toronto for business.

Tonight?

Was the last night for pleasure.…

And he was going to make the most of it.

Drumming his fingers against the wheel to the beats singing from the radio, he swallowed hard as the lyrics hit a little too close to home…

 _Take these broken wings  
And learn to fly again  
And learn to live so free  
When we hear the voices sing  
The book of love will open up  
And let us in  
Take these broken wings_

Slamming his hand down, he rode in silence as he ran another red.

The night was young and full of promise as his mind thought of his final destination

Los Angeles, California.

"The City of Angels" he smiled, slowly down for a yellow light that was beginning to turn red.

"Can't win them all" he muttered, watching the idling police car to his left picking up speed as his light turned green.

Stepping on the gas pedal as the stoplight above turned green, Lucifer Morningstar flipped on his signal for a left turn as he thought of the perfect place for dinner, just as he slammed his foot down on the brake.

Feeling the wretch of the vintage car as it stopped dead in the middle of the lane, he gritted his teeth hard and stared up at the darkening night sky before letting out a string of curses

"Bloody hell, you give select humans access and they summon you at the most inconvenient of times"

…

 _Taste of China Seafood Restaurant, 338 Spadina Ave, Chinatown, Toronto, Ontario, Canada…_

Wrenching the wheel of the '61 blood red Chevrolet Corvette convertible over to the curbside, the man ignored the blare of multiple car horns as he threw open the door.

" **ASSHOLE!"**

Tightly clutching the car keys, he threw his brown eyes up onto the darkened windows of the top floor before feeling the snarl growing in the back of his throat.

"Nice ride…want me to take it for a spin? Keep the engine warm while you go eat?"

Hearing the voice from his left, Lucifer Morningstar halted in his steps and laid a protective hand on the hood of his vintage car.

"No need, I'm not hungry for food" he tasted, holding his gaze with the youth who had caught his attention.

"In fact, maybe you should watch it for me. I don't know what I would do if someone were to look upon it with lust and greed" he purred, tossing the keys into the air.

"Yeah…sure. Anything Mr. Morningstar" the boy choked.

Smiling as he turned towards the separate walkup steel door that would allow him access to the upper brick units, Lucifer narrowed his eyes as he slowly took the dirty stairs one by one.

He could smell the blood from the first level off the street.

Sniffing heavily as he pulled open the fire door on the sixth floor, he immediately turned right and halted outside apartment 606.

"Hmmmm" letting out the hum that had been building in the back of his throat, Lucifer smoothed the palm of his hand over the front of his crisp white dress shirt before bringing it up to knock.

 _Knock?_

 _Please._

Throwing the door wide open, he braced his foot for the impact of the door as he took a step over the threshold.

Silence.

"Where are you Diana…" he sang, sweeping his eyes over the messy living room. Spying pieces of a broken wooden chair littering the carpeted floor, his eyes fell on the reflective shards of glass before hearing the crunch beneath his black dress shoes.

"Now what have we here." Bending down to pick up a large shard of glass, Lucifer took in a deep breath before tossing it aside.

He could smell Tom all over the place, and as he straightened up to his full six feet three inches in height, his ears picked up the slightest hint of a labored breath.

Moving down the narrow hallway, he passed closed bedroom, closet, and bathroom doors before coming to stand in the archway of the one bedroom whose door was open receiving.

And he snarled with the sight that was laid out before him.

Laying flat on her stomach, the once flawlessly attractive Diana Cross laid half clothed with her eyes open still and a bloody shotgun blast centered in her naked back. Watching the slow drips of blood as they fell into the dark pool at the edge of the bed, feet from where he stood, Lucifer clenched his teeth hard as his ears picked up the source of the labored breathing.

"Thomas…Thomas…Thomas…" he repeated as he walked forward, narrowing his dark eyes onto the bloody face of the man responsible for the stench of death in the room and the shattered glass about the small walk up apartment.

"Another drug deal gone array? Another night of too much alcohol and loss of control?" he seethed, stepping around Tom's outstretched leg as the man sat propped up awkwardly against the wall.

Spying the blood splatter behind Tom's head, Lucifer smiled as he noticed the recently fired shotgun lying in the man's lap.

"It looks like you missed your shot, your way out of consciousness my dear fellow."

Grabbed the muzzle of the gun, Lucifer pitched it hard behind him as it left a deep dent in the wall with a crack.

"You killed one of my favorites Tom, and I am not pleased" he growled, watching as the barely conscience man turned his head.

Spitting out a mouthful of blood against the fallen angels expensive Valentino dress shirt, he managed a toothy smile before blinking, blood falling from the hole in his head and against his nose.

"She told me who you were, you might as well call yourself a pimp, tyrant" Tom whispered, feeling his eyes growing heavy as he started to slump.

Slamming his closed fist hard against the man's chest, Lucifer smiled as Tom's eyes flew open wide before gasping for air.

"Oh no Thomas…you are not going to die so easily. Not on my watch anyways" he smiled, moving his eyes over onto Diana's body, half slumped off the mattress.

"While we are here alone together, I'd like you to tell me why you did it. Why did you decide to shoot her before trying to coward your own way out" he questioned, remembering the last time he had been in Diana's company….

 _(Flashback)_

" _You've always been there for me Lucifer, and while I appreciate it, Lola and I are going to be moving back to Ottawa and in with my parents and away from Tom..."_

Biting the tip of his tongue as he stared at the woman's dead body, Lucifer smacked the back of his hand up against Tom's head as the man groaned in agony.

"She was going to leave me. Said she was done with me and my fucking failures in life. She had it all figured out…but I showed her" he chuckled, coughing up another good-sized mouthful of blood.

"You may have showed her, but now you have me to contend with….and I now suddenly very excited to show you what you have coming your way" Lucifer spoke, smiling widely as he dropped his flesh faced falsehood.

Watching Tom's eyes growing wide with bloody tears, the Devil slowly rose to his feet and took a step backwards. Turning to Diana's lifeless body, he lowered his lips and placed the softest of kisses on her upper shoulder before turning back around.

Sweeping his hands out from his sides, he smiled as he held a small matchbook between his long thin fingers.

"A gunshot would have been easy for you, but you are going to feel the heat of what's coming for you when you get to my Hell."

Staring at the matches, Lucifer watched as the tips began to smoke before a large flame sprang.

Tossing the booklet down onto the carpet, he took a step backwards to stand once more beneath the archway as Tom struggled to turn his head.

Watching the flames growing in size as they licked and jumped from the stained carpet to the dingy second-hand furniture, Lucifer smiled as Tom's eyes went just as wide as his mouth as he started to scream.

" **YES! SCREAM!"**

Turning on his heel, the dark-haired man strode down the hallway and did a double take as he noticed one of the previously closed doors now open.

Feeling the heat of the flames against his back as they began to crawl along the walls, Lucifer continued towards the front door of the apartment just as he noticed a small human foot sticking out from underneath one of the coffee tables.

Taking in a deep breath as he kneeled down, his dark eyes found a hazel pair, wide and wet as the tiny child stared straight at him, clutching a blanket.

Looking over his shoulder as he heard Tom's final scream growing silent, he pursed his lips as he realized that the child had had an unobstructed view of his visit, and perhaps the events before concerning her mother and father.

Tapping the edge of his ring against the leg of the table, he heard the loud beeping of the smoke alarm from above as the flames of the fire crawled along the ceiling.

"This child has seen the death of both her parents and you, no doubt she is wondering if her time has come as well."

Sneering as the booming voice of Amenadiel sounded from behind him, Lucifer stared at the small girl as she continued to work herself backwards, away from him.

"She's afraid of the flames Lucifer."

"Yes, I can see that brother, but she's not my problem you see" Lucifer spat, rising to his feet as he turned and bumped directly into the winged angel.

"You would leave her to burn to death?"

Hearing the distant screams of sirens approaching the building, Lucifer refused the blink as the heavy dark smoke quickly spiraled around him, choking the view of the front door.

"No, _you_ would leave her and cry out that it was His plan" Lucifer spat as he turned around and roughly upturned the coffee table. Spying the small child trying in vain to breathe through her blanket, he scooped her up into his arms, and strode across the spot where his heavenly brother had stood only seconds before.

Ripping open the door, he strode down the heavy smoked hallway as shouts and helmet lights rounded the corner, breaking through the smoke. Pulling the front of his black blazer up over the child's face, he strode confidently as firefighters clutching axes rushed past him, oblivious of his presence.

Feeling the warm air of the July evening against his face as he stepped onto the sidewalk, he ignored the curious stares of building residents as they noticed the blood smear across his chest and the soot against his cheek and collar as the small girl clutched her blanket tightly.

Spying the youth who had taken the safe possession of his keys, Lucifer snatched them out of the air as he lifted the child in his arms over the edge of the Corvette and onto the seat.

"I hope you are toilet trained" he muttered, rounding the front of the convertible before opening his own door. Inserting the key, he turned the engine over and pulled the gear into drive before immediately throwing it back into park.

"I suppose you need to be restrained" he spoke, reaching over the four-year-old for the seatbelt. Bringing the slack across her night shirted chest, he paused as she scooted against him, tucking herself just under his arm, her blanket balled up in her lap.

Releasing the belt as it snapped back into place, he stared down into her face as he took in her wet eyes and soot stained cheeks.

"Well I suppose my arm is stronger" he offered, throwing the vehicle into drive as the radio began to sing with a classic from 1967…

 _Nights in white satin  
Never reaching the end  
Letters I've written  
Never meaning to send_

 _Beauty I'd always missed  
With these eyes before  
Just what the truth is  
I can't say any more_

…

 _Toronto General Hospital, 200 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada…_

Walking through the automatic doors of the emergency room, the tall dark-haired man ignored the questionable glances as he shifted the tiny child's weight from his left waist to his right. Coming to stand at a ledge with a protective pane of glass, he let the child slide down before she clutched at his hand.

Feeling the unease and disgust of such an obvious need for care, Lucifer sneered as a tired looking nurse clad in blue scrubs pushed a clipboard towards him.

"You need to fill this all out" she began, noticing the blood across his shirt.

"Actually, I would like to deposit this child with you" he began as she pointed towards the blood.

"How bad is your chest wound?"

Cocking an eyebrow, he glanced down at his shirt and felt the venom in his throat before remembering that Tom would be waiting for him in the fiery pits.

"Not as bad you think, but this one here…she needs…something" he spoke calmly, hauling the child up and sitting her down on the ledge.

"Jesus Christ…BEN!"

Turning back around, the nurse blinked quickly as the dark-haired man no longer stood before her.

"Where…" Noticing the child teetering on the edge of the window ledge, she sprang up from her seat and rounded the enclosed station, catching her before she fell to the floor.

…

Feeling the warm night's breeze as it blew through the elegant feathers of his wings, Amenadiel watched as the red vintage Corvette sped off down the road before making a sharp left.

"Dear brother, don't you care that if you choose to intervene in the life of a human, you will always be connected?"

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**


	2. Chapter 1

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 1**

 **Song(s): Fame (90's Mix) David Bowie, Take My Soul (Thievery Corporation)**

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

It was only the starting of the second week, and already she wanted to skip her classes.

Wincing as the tiny hammer of her alarm clock banged in annoyance, fourteen-year-old Piper Harlow threw her hand out and slapped the device onto the carpeted floor, smirking as the bells abruptly stopped.

Throwing the comforter off her legs, she sat up straight and stared into the Target white framed mirror that leaned against the wall.

"Staying up all night and reading is not going to do my face any favors when I'm forty" she muttered, rubbing her hands over her face. Rubbing her eyes, she rose to her feet and nearly stumbled over an upturned stack of books from the library.

Pulling down the hem of her black tank top, Piper opened her bedroom door and stepped out into the quiet narrow hallway of the small bungalow she lived in with her mother and step-father.

Hearing a clang from the small kitchen, she rolled her eyes and moved into the bathroom, pushing the door closed with her foot. Switching on the tub faucets, she peered closer into the mirror as she stared into her hazel eyes.

"Maybe today, someone will want to talk to me" she breathed, turning around as the steam hit her face.

…

"You're going to be late for school, again."

Hearing Jimmy's mutter as she pulled out the coffee pot, Piper watched the dark liquid filling her mug as the sound of her mother's coughing met her ears.

"When did you start drinking coffee?" Darlene Harlow questioned as she reached for a banana sitting alone in a bowl.

"Only since I was about ten" Piper scoffed as she reached for the milk in the fridge. Twisting off the lid, she took a quick sniff and immediately lowered the cardboard liter before noticing the two-week-old expiry date.

"It's suppose to be close to ninety today and you're gonna wear all black?" Darlene questioned as she watched her daughter take a long sip from her mug.

"Be thankful that my shirts aren't cropped or my ass is hanging out of my pants, or that I have a baby" Piper muttered as she downed the last dregs of her mug. Setting it in the sink basin, she grabbed an orange and rounded the corner of the kitchen table.

"Well at least she has stopped wearing the black lipstick."

Hearing her mother's words as she grabbed her tan Jansport bookbag, she spied her mother's wallet and with quick fingers, slipped out two tens.

"She needs to get herself a part time job to help with rent. My disability check isn't going to support her as well as us" Jimmy spat as Piper rolled her eyes. Slamming the front door behind her as she stood on the red step, she tucked in her earbuds and scanned through her playlist before settling on Bowie's _Fame,_ passing through the fenced in yard towards the number 110 bus stop.

…

 _Huntington Park High School, 6020 Miles Ave, Los Angeles, California…_

 _1:10pm_

Tracing the tip of her pen through the infinity sign that bleed down through the paper of her notebook, Piper kept her head down as a bunch of assignment papers landed on her hand.

"Everyone, take one and pass the rest back. You need to hand it in by Thursday or else you get a big fat zero, and let me tell you, there are a few of you that if you get that, you might as well say goodbye to your Summer."

Passing the rest of the pages over her head, Piper glanced over her shoulder to see that she was the last in her row, and swore under her breath as a few snickers met her ears.

"Also, I understand we have a new student?"

 _Jesus no…_

"Ms…Harlow?"

Letting the pen roll from her fingers and onto the dirty floor, Piper grimaced before rising to her feet.

"Actually, um I've been here in class for just over a week" she spoke, hearing more snickers as the teacher nodded his head.

"Well, tell us a bit about yourself."

 _Is this really happening?_ She wondered, shaking her head slightly.

"Um, I moved here from Canada with my mom who is finishing her Social Work degree, my Step-dad is a former Marine who was injured overseas, and yeah…Los Angeles is…cool" she muttered quickly, sitting back down.

"Canada huh? You bring that earthquake all the way down with you?"

Feeling the corners of her mouth pulling as her classmates laughed, she had a flashback to that very day.

 _(Flashback)_

" _The rest of the boxes are yours."_

 _Stacking the cardboard on top of each other, she hauled them down the hallway and groaned as they fell to the floor with a hard thud. Wiping her hands on the back of her black skinny jeans, she collapsed on her bare mattress and as she rolled onto her back with her arms outstretched, she felt the vibrations._

 _Staring up at her stucco ceiling, Piper slowly rolled her head and watched the contents of her water bottle jump before falling over and smashing onto the floor._

" _Welcome to LA folks!"_

 _Hearing her Step-father's shout from the foyer as the tremor suddenly stopped, she couldn't help but smile as she closed her eyes._

 _My own personal welcome to the City of Angels?_

…

 _1:53pm_

Slipping off her long sleeve back top, she tied it around her waist as she straightened out the straps of her tank top.

Fishing out her mobile, she swung her bookbag around her shoulders just as she felt a nudge against her right arm.

"Skipping school Canada?"

Narrowing her eyes, she recognized the blonde who stood at her side as the one who had asked if she had brought the earthquake on her travels.

"I've already read Catcher in the Rye, I'd rather spend that time educating myself on my own pace" she shrugged, tucking her earbuds in.

"You wanna see the real LA? A few of my friends and I are from here…maybe, we'll take you along?"

 _Yeah right. Sorry, but I'm trying to straighten my own life out and get my own shit together_

"I can find my own way around, thanks."

Bounding down the steps, she felt the beats of Thievery Corporation carrying her along the sidewalk as she left the high school behind.

Living in Canada, she had always felt the pull of the big cities namely Toronto and its different multicultural boroughs and people to such a degree that she had weathered the groundings from her mother with her constant Megabus boarding's from their small sticks of town to the downtown Bay street financial district.

 _(Flashback)_

" _I don't understand it Piper! Why the hell do you keep running off to Toronto?"_

 _Hearing the roar of her mother's voice as she downed her glass of water, she wanted nothing more than to drop it into the sink and watch the pieces slide down into the drain._

" _You could get raped, or killed! You're only fucking fourteen years old, you are still a child!"_

 _Rolling her eyes as she turned around, Piper crossed her ankles as she leaned back against the counter._

" _And yet, you decide to marry someone who is moving us to Los Angeles California, a city with millions of bodies, and a sky-high crime rate. How stupid is that on your end?"_

 _Watching her mother's eyes narrow, Piper knew she had won this round and wondered if it was her deceased father that had given her her backbone because she certainly didn't get it from the woman standing in front of her._

" _You are a child. When you are eighteen, you can go to Toronto all you want" she spat, turning on her heel and leaving her daughter biting the tip of her tongue._

" _When I am eighteen, I'll be in charge of my own life and everyone that comes in it."_

"It's the people I find so interesting Mom."

"Who they are"

 _And more so, what they choose to do_

…

 _Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

 _6:23pm_

Finishing the last bite of her mustard covered hot dog, Piper stretched her arms up over her head as she felt the scorching rays of the sun directly on her neck.

"The next time I decide to skip and spend the day in Hollywood, I have to bring a hat and not just sunglasses" she muttered, slipping the bans of the glasses over her ears before letting her shoulder length brown hair out of her ponytail.

"Hey! Hey Kid!"

Turning around, she raised her eyes up onto the face of a middle-aged man as he jerked his thumb.

"You can't sit here outside my storefront, get out of here before you steal!"

Rising to her feet, Piper shook off her bag before setting it back over her shoulders.

"No worries asshole" she smiled politely, starting her journey westward.

Glancing down at the Hollywood Stars as she sniffed the air, she nearly collided with a group of teenagers laughing and clutching soft drink cups with the name Baja Fresh.

"Hey! Canada!"

Looking to her right, Piper slowed her steps as her blonde classmate nudged against her shoulder.

"My name is not Canada" she spoke, watching two guys she didn't recognize join the blonde.

"Right, it's something…like Paper?" one of the boys smiled as Piper started to walk.

"Wait…wait. Jacob was being an ass. My name is Andrea and you are Piper, is it?"

Stepping aside as a group of Asian tourists butted through their group, Piper nodded her head as the second boy cleared his throat.

"I'm Dylan."

"So where are ya heading?" Andrea questioned as she hooked her arm through Piper's.

"Sightseeing, on my own" she spoke, hearing her classmates chuckling as they all started walking down the sidewalk.

"Shit, I just realized where we are."

Hearing the rage in Andrea's voice, Piper gave her a questioning look as they passed the glass displays of an H&M department store.

"6868 Hollywood Blvd, the home of Lux."

Stepping over the star of Marilyn Monroe, Piper felt an odd chill running down her spine as her classmate looked into Dylan's face.

"What is Lux?"

Halting in her steps as she turned and raised her eyes, Andrea motioned a hand towards an elegantly carved, tan colored building that looked completely out of place on Hollywood Blvd.

"This…is Lux Nightclub, run by some smarmy English guy who decided to fire my sister last week, causing her to lose out on paying for her last semester of college…piece of shit."

 _So, she has a grudge_

"If I had a rock or something right now I'd whip it straight through that fucking window."

Watching her classmate balling her fists, Piper felt the breath of Jacob against her ear.

"This strip of Hollywood is just as bright at night."

 _Night_

"I'm thinking we should leave a little message for the owner, and what a better time for him and everyone else passing by to see it, than first thing in the morning."

 _I've been dinged for theft, loitering, but not destruction of property_

"Yeah, I'm not going to get arrested for damaging some rich guy's nightclub, chances are he'd be involved in the Mob."

Hearing Andrea's laugh, Piper felt the heat rising in her face as she looked at her classmate.

"A couple cans of spray paint, some little choice obscenities and I'll feel a lot better about my sister having to work at Sears for minimum wage."

"What do you say, are you in Piper?"

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to LuciferFan, and BigKahuna for leaving reviews!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**


	3. Chapter 2

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 2**

 **Song(s): Fame (90's Mix) David Bowie, Familiar (Agnes Obel)**

 _6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

 _10:16pm_

Watching the smoke from his cigarette curl into small circles, the dark eyed man brought the butt against his lips before sneering, stubbing it out into the ash tray resting at his elbow.

"Lost the taste?"

Shifting his eyes, he rested on the taut stomach of his right-hand man, or rather, woman.

"I've been on Earth for a solid five years now Maze, and I never thought I would say…I'm bored."

Hearing his accented words, the demon scoffed before taking a seat in a dark brown leather chair opposite the oak wood desk.

"Humans are, for the most part Lucifer, boring as shit" she offered, watching her Boss steeple the tips of his long thin fingers against his lips.

"Only a rare few only ever make your direct attentions. Manson, Bundy, Bernardo, who was that other one recently…" she trailed off as Lucifer leaned back in his chair.

"Williams, and that was nearly three years ago" he added, smoothing a hand over the scruff of his chin.

"Like I said…boring."

"Perhaps a new challenge is in order" Lucifer began as Maze's eyes flashed with deep interest.

"Yes please" she smiled, watching the tall Prince of Darkness as he rose to his feet. Coming to stand in front of the floor to ceiling glass window, Lucifer lowered his eyes down onto the bodies lined up deep from just under the awning to well down the block.

"Perhaps, a change of country" he muttered, ignoring Maze's heavy sigh.

"Oh God Lucifer, not back to Canada" she moaned, raising her arms up over her head. "My skin can't take another Canadian winter layered up in a goose parka with only my nose sticking out" she added, catching his chuckle.

"I wouldn't subject you to the cold Maze, you do so much more better in the heat" he purred, turning around and giving her a wink as she narrowed her eyes.

"You know I would follow you even if you decided to return to Hell" she whispered as Lucifer felt his shoulders growing heavy.

 _Hell is not in the cards Maze_

…

 _Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

 _6:38am, The Next Morning…_

Covering her mouth as she let out a huge yawn, Piper followed behind Jacob and Dylan as they crossed the intersection at Las Palmas.

"Right, we each get a can so tag large and loud."

Hearing Andrea's laugh as she laid a hand on Jacob's shoulder, Piper rolled her eyes as Dylan slapped her on the back.

"Are you really only fourteen? You look older."

 _Jesus_

"Yes, I am, and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't leer at me as if I was older" she spat, stepping aside to place distance on the sidewalk.

Spying a large vertical blue sign with block writing, she felt her lips spreading into a smile as they marched on past a Scientology center. Raising her eyes to the top of the sign she heard Andrea's laugh and only caught the tail end of a conversation mentioning Tom Cruise.

"He may be crazy, but he's still hot."

Feeling her stomach growl as she breathed in the smell of McDonalds, Piper slowed down and opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm going to grab something to eat."

"The plan is to tag that Lux building so rush hour traffic can see what an asshole the owner is" Andrea yelled as she and the boys turned around.

"Can't tag properly on an empty stomach, what if I spell something wrong?"

Catching Dylan's laugh as he moved towards her, Piper pulled on the door and was welcomed by the smell of fresh coffee.

"I don't suppose I could ask you out?"

Rolling her eyes as she stepped aside and joined the lineup, Piper pulled out her last five-dollar bill before Dylan pulled out his atm card.

"I can buy it for you."

"Don't bother, I'm not interested in you paying for my food nor am I interested in you."

Hearing the word bitch from just over her shoulder, she sighed before slamming her money onto the counter.

 _Why can't guys just listen the first time?_

"Large coffee black, and one hash brown, or will this buy me two?"

…

Shaking her can, Andrea smiled as she drew an anarchist symbol in red over the large plated X before connecting it with a larger circle.

Shaking her own can, Piper let out a few sprays against the ground of the alleyway before coming to stand tall, staring at the plain tan wall before her.

 _I don't want to deface this building._

 _I…don't._

"Hey! You doing this or not?"

Shaking the can in her hand, she moved her eyes to her classmates and watched as they littered the wall and glass window with obscenities.

"I think a big dick with small balls right on the front panel would be perfect, don't you think?"

Shaking her can once more, Piper aimed it at the wall and drew a large D before scrawling the rest of the letters.

Standing back to take in the word, she felt a slight breeze run across her shoulders as the early morning sun dipped behind a cloud.

"Devil."

Hearing the word falling from her lips, she shook her can once more and started to retrace each letter.

…

"Is this your idea of a new challenge Lucifer? Making this place even darker with the mood lighting and deaf with bigger speakers?"

Feeling Maze bumping into his arm as she passed him a grande Starbucks cup, Lucifer Morningstar took a deep sip as he ignored her question.

"And where did you stay last night if I might ask?"

Hearing her Boss's question, the demon slipped down the black oversized sunglasses that had been resting on the crown of her head onto the bridge of her nose.

"Damn sunlight."

Feeling his lips pulling into a smirk, Lucifer closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the early Los Angeles air.

Vehicle exhaust, cigarettes, and the smell of lusted after success.

"You obviously didn't stay curled up in your own bed either…" Maze purred as she tugged her glasses down, giving an inquisitive eye as he smiled widely.

"There is a reason I tend to stick to models and women who don't eat. Yummy mummy wanted to make breakfast" he spat, catching Maze's chuckle.

"Poor Lucifer, the one man in the entire world who can't be domesticated."

"It's not a matter of domestication Maze, it's all about white bread, eggs with the yolk, and hydrogenated peanut butter" he corrected, taking another sip of his black coffee before slowing his steps as they approached the club.

"How about we save the City some water and shower together…"

Ignoring Maze's sultry words, Lucifer narrowed his eyes he stopped beside the front window of the club. Feeling his lip starting to curl, he watched Maze's reflection as she ripped off her glasses.

"What in the fuck?"

Staring at the scrawled words of _fuck, asshole_ , and _dick_ across the glass, the tall dark-haired man slowly closed his eyes as he heard a high-pitched laugh. Taking in a deep breath, he locked on to the very faint scent of artificial vanilla as he growled.

"Maze…alleyway."

Slowly rounding the corner of the tan colored building, his dark eyes fell over the oblivious bodies as he felt the deep growl rising from his chest.

"Oh shit…. **OH SHIT!** "

Dropping his spray can, Jacob collided with Dylan before shoving him roughly.

Throwing her own eyes up, Piper could barely make out the two darkly dressed individuals standing at the open mouth of the sidewalk before she felt nails digging into her shoulder.

" **FUCKING RUN!"**

Nearly tripping over the discarded spray cans, she broke into a dash before skidding to a halt.

" **WHAT IN THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"**

Feeling Andrea's nails ripping into her arm, Piper swore under her breath as she reached a hand out for her book bag.

" **ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY, FORGET THE BAG!"**

Abandoning her bag, she cursed loudly before breaking into a run down the alley.

" **HEY BOYS! DON'T RUN, COME BACK AND PLAY!"** Maze shouted as she started to laugh, feeling the quick speed of Lucifer from her side before hearing the slamming of Lux's front door.

"Oh, you're are in for it now kids, he's coming for you" she chuckled, walking slowly into the alley. Feeling the twinge of excitement that might require her certain torturous expertise, Maze rolled her eyes as she scanned over the anarchist scrawl before landing on the word devil.

"Interesting."

Moving further into the alley, her eyes lit up as she focused on a large penis.

"Ah ha. Well drawn, but not to scale" she smiled, spying a tan colored bag leaning against the wall. Reaching down, she wrapped her fingers around the strap and hauled it up over one shoulder before making her way back to the graffitied front door.

…

 _Run…_

 _Don't stop…._

 _Don't stop!_

Keeping her eyes trained on Andrea's back as she felt the heat and sweat of the Los Angeles sun running down her face, Piper jumped over a cardboard box before spying Jacob and Dylan rounding the corner of the alley towards the back of the nightclub.

 _Even if those people call the cops, we'd be long gone._

 _Even if they tried to run after us themselves, we would outrun them_ she thought as a smile spread across her lips. Picking up her speed, she ducked around a discarded mattress as her eyes fell on the street up ahead.

A street with traffic and pedestrians to get lost in.

 _Almost home free_

Blinking quickly as she moved around another set of discarded wood pallets, she felt the scream caught up in the back of her throat as a steel door was thrown open hard to her immediate right.

Gritting her teeth as she narrowly avoided the sharp steel, she screamed in pain as strong fingers curling around the back of her hoodie as she was roughly pulled against a hard body.

" **LET ME GO!"**

Hearing her scream, Lucifer growled as he held the struggling body, twisting around before wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Let's go, inside shall we street urchin?" he purred against her hoodie covered ear as Piper let out a final scream followed by a string of curses as she was pulled off her feet.

…

"Where is Piper?"

Bending over to gulp in the stale hot morning air, Andrea ran a hand through her loose blonde hair as she looked behind her.

"She didn't make it."

Moving towards the mouth of the alleyway, Dylan locked his hands behind his neck.

"Shit, do you think she is going to rat us out?"

Scoffing at the idea, Andrea shook her head as she peeled off her t-shirt, tying it around her waist.

"I think she has more smarts than that."

…

Feeling the man's vicelike grip around her waist, Piper struggled to breath as she was hauled further into the depths of the nightclub.

" **I SAID LET ME GO!"**

Shutting her mouth as her ears picked up low vibrations of music, she could feel the beats as she was brought further inside.

Bringing her hand up, she felt her back being pulled tight against the man's chest as she quickly dipped her hand into the pocket of his black suit jacket.

"Ah, you've brought me something I can use to refresh my skills."

Hearing the deep vibrations of David Bowie's _Fame_ , Piper held her breath as she heard a low female voice from somewhere within the room.

 _Fame makes a man take things over  
Fame lets him loose, hard to swallow  
Fame puts you there where things are holllooowww….._

"You, can just sit right there" Lucifer growled as Piper felt herself slammed into a chair, her arm banging off the metal rest as she bit down hard on her lip to subdue the pain.

"I'm surprised you only settled for one of the four, lets make this one sing like a bird" Maze smiled as Piper caught what sounded like a whip slapping against a wall.

Feeling herself sliding off the seat of the chair, Piper winced as strong fingers roughly hauled her back upright.

"Now then, let's have a look at you, shall we?"

Feeling the back of her hoodie roughly being pulled off her face, Piper kept her eyes closed tightly as she heard the hint of surprise.

"It's just a kid, a little girl" Maze teased as she ran the tip of her tongue along her teeth.

Slowly opening her eyes, she brought her head up and stared into the dark eyes of the man that had grabbed her, now standing directly in front of her.

"Indeed. How old are you?"

Refusing to answer the man's question, Piper sprang up from the chair but was quickly thrown back down.

Bringing his fingers down against her chin, he roughly cupped it and forced her eyes up onto his once more.

"Tell me your name street urchin" he growled, watching the irritation growing in her face.

"I don't have to tell you anything. So, go ahead, call the police, see if I care" she challenged swallowing hard as Maze started to laugh.

"Yes, my Lord, call that little blonde detective friend of yours and her delicious ex-husband."

 _My Lord?_

Ripping her chin from Lucifer's fingers, she avoided his eyes as he continued to stare at her.

 _I've met you before urchin…but where?_

"How about it Lucifer, should we show her just how mean we can be?" Maze purred as she took forward, scanning her eyes over Piper's hands, watching as they became fists.

"Screw you, you can't touch me" Piper spat as Maze leaned in close.

"Oh, I don't have to touch you to make you scream" Maze seethed as she felt Lucifer's hand on her bare shoulder as he let out a low laugh.

"This one has such spark! Mazikeen my dear, let's not scare her before she gives up her band of merry men that have also it seemed, abandoned her by saving their own skins" he spoke, tasting his accent as Piper swallowed hard, feeling the incredible dryness in her throat.

"Give me some names child, and I might give you a glass of ice cold water" he offered, catching the flash of anger in her eyes.

"I'm not a child" she spat, her eyes burning into his as he smiled widely.

"No, I don't believe you are."

Hearing the low beats of Bowie slowly dying from the speakers, Piper moved her eyes around the darkened bar as she spied leather booths, dance poles, barstools, and a huge dark sign made of lightbulbs spelling out LUX.

"Is this a strip club?"

Catching Maze's laugh as she looked to Lucifer, the demon brought her hands up to rest on her hips.

"No kid, it's not. It's a club for grownups who are old enough to drink, and old enough to live their lives to the fullest" she smiled, watching Piper tensing in her shoulders.

"Are you going to call the cops or not?"

Hearing her question, Lucifer slowly shook his head as he stared down at her.

"I don't think that's necessary, if anything, I'd like to know what it is that you deeply desire?"

Bringing her eyes back up onto his face, she felt the curiosity growing as she opened her mouth to speak.

"If you are not going to call the cops, then let me go" she whispered, catching the surprise flashing across his eyes as he looked to Maze.

"Now she is really starting to piss me off" she spat, watching Lucifer taking a step backwards.

 _She's another one_

"Am I becoming too human?" he whispered, snapping his fingers as Maze hauled Piper up to her feet.

"Count yourself lucky urchin, you may leave."

Feeling the heat of the morning air as she was pushed out the front door, Piper spun around and was met with the graffitied door slamming closed in her face.

Breathing heavy as she pulled off her sweatshirt, she marched to the alleyway and blinked quickly as she searched for her bag.

"Damn it…."

Kicking aside a paper coffee cup, she turned and strode right back up to the front door and banged her fist.

" **DO YOU HAVE MY BAG?"**

Taking a step back, she peered up at the dark windows and sensed a pair of eyes before swearing under her breath.

"Keep it then asshole."

…

Tossing her last two dollars down in exchange for the bottle of water, Piper sank onto a barstool, downing the bottle with one breath.

Running a hand through her hair, she reached into the pocket of her jeans before slapping her back pockets.

 _Jesus, no wallet_

"Means I am walking all the way home" she groaned, slamming her fist down on the table.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the small silver coin she had plucked from the man's black suit jacket pocket and turned it around in her hand.

"In God We Trust" she whispered, narrowing her eyes onto the image of Christ, arms splayed out on the cross.

"Father, Son, Holy Ghost" she breathed, trying to remember the last time she had stepped foot in a church and failing to come up with even an approximate year. Flipping over the coin, she read the opposite message.

"In God We're Damned."

Running her eyes over the carved goat head within a star, she read the words _Beelzebub, Serpent, Dragon,_ and _Satan_ before settling on the final.

"Lucifer."

Taping the coin against the tabletop, she felt her lips pulling into a smile before slipping it back into her jeans pocket.

"Excuse me, do you know of any pawn shops close to here?" she questioned, catching the waitresses eye.

 _Even if I can get bus money out of this I don't care_ she thought as she reached into her pocket once more, running her thumb along the goat head.

…

 _Two Hours Later…_

"You're getting soft Lucifer."

Taking a long sip of his scotch, the man in question opened his eyes and stared straight into the face of his partner.

"Hmmm, careful now Maze, I'm still a bit twitchy from being rebuffed by another female human" he growled, feeling the cold of the ice cube touching his upper lip.

"My point exactly. You are the fucking Devil, Prince of Darkness, Punisher of those that decide to do shit things, and yet you let that little girl go without even a hint of fear in her face. I'm embarrassed."

Pushing his glass down the full length of the bar top, he caught Maze's lips twitching as his eyes flashed red.

" _She_ should have seen that."

" _She_ , was able to block my line of questioning, and succeeded in pissing you off. If anything, she is someone interesting and possibility useful" he added, watching the demon take up his glass and roughly dumping the ice into the sink.

Reaching down beside her feet, Maze gripped the strap of the tan Jansport backpack and whipped directly into Lucifer's path as he caught it without blinking.

" _That_ belongs to her, she left it in the alley."

Sneering as he let the bag fall to the floor, he reached into his suit jacket pocket and pulled out the wallet he had slipped out from her hoodie. Pulling out a student identification card, his dark eyes focused on her face as he read her name.

"Piper Harlow."

"Sounds just as staged as Lucifer Morningstar" Maze chuckled as he found no place of address.

 _That wouldn't be hard to find_

 _Not for him_

Reaching into his other jacket pocket, he froze before checking the other.

"Mazzzeee…."

Raising her eyes, the demon felt her mouth falling open as Lucifer rose to his feet.

"My pentecostal coin is missing."

Hearing his words, he set his jaw straight before pulling back his fleshy façade.

"Do you still think humans are boring Mazikeen?" he snapped before turning around, climbing the dark staircase and disappearing from sight.

"Well now, apparently not this teenage girl" she smiled before pulling back her own fleshy façade.

 _Get her Lucifer..._

 _GET HER!_

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to BigKahuna, and HayAce for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**


	4. Chapter 3

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 3**

 **Song(s): Crazy (Master Chic Mix) (Seal), Feeling Good (Nina Simone)**

 _Mr G's Pawn Shop, 7775 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA…_

Gathering her hair up off her sweaty neck, Piper pulled open the door to the pawnshop and sighed as her hopes for air conditioning were dashed immediately.

"Excuse me, if I have something to sell?" she questioned, glancing to the back of the store as she counted four people standing in a line.

"Gerald is at the buyer's counter at the back. Make sure you have identification" the cashier spoke with a bored tone before jotting a note down on a scrap of lined paper.

Joining the line, Piper fingered the coin in her pocket as she noticed a wall of hanging guitars to the far right.

"You got something you wanna sell?"

Hearing the gruff man's voice as she stepped up the counter, she felt his eyes looking her over as he leaned back in his wooden chair.

"Do you at least have a fake id to say your eighteen?" he questioned, taking a drag off his cigarette.

"I'm not looking for much, just enough for a cab ride to Huntington Park" she spoke, taking the coin out of her pocket. Sliding it across the counter with her thumb towards the buyer, she spied the etched name of Morningstar across the bottom of the goat head as she felt a chill spreading across her shoulders.

"Where did you get this coin?" Gerald asked absentmindedly as he reached for the coin. Taking it up between his thumb and forefinger, he clutched it tightly as his eyes went wide.

 _There is a special place in hell for every genre of evil…_

Throwing the coin down on the counter, Piper caught it up just before it hit the dirty ground as Gerald scrambled up to his feet.

" **GET THAT CURSE OUT OF HERE!"**

…

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

 _4 hours later_

Shielding her eyes with the back of her hand from the penetrating sunshine, Piper groaned as she spotted her step-father's truck parked under the nearly dilapidated carpark.

"Why hasn't he gone to work yet?" she muttered, ignoring the morning's newspaper hanging out of the mailbox as she reached over and unlatched the gate lock. Shutting it behind her with a loud clang, she walked up the concreate pathway and stopped on the top red stair before reaching into her jeans pocket.

"Of course, no backpack, no housekeys" she spat, feeling the anger growing as she rubbed a hand over her dried lips. Twisting the handle of the front door, she pushed it open to hear familiar voices before chairs scrapping from the kitchen.

"It's her" Jimmy spat as Darlene rounded the corner with a lone LAPD Officer in tow.

" **WHERE IN THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?"**

 _He did call the cops_

Shoving her hands into the backs of her jean pockets, Piper rolled her eyes as the Officer took out his notebook.

"You are Piper Harlow?"

 _Obviously, since the nightclub owner probably gave you my wallet and ID's_

"Did he give you my backpack?"

Hearing her question, the officer frowned as he stopped writing.

"What backpack?"

Closing her mouth as her mother stared with her hands on her hips, Piper shook her head as she ran her fingers through her hair, pulling it off her sweaty neck.

 _So, he didn't call the police on me for vandalizing his nightclub_

 _Interesting_

"You are grounded for, Jesus, until you are eighteen years old" Darlene spat as Piper moved towards the kitchen before being blocked by her mother's arm.

"Seriously, where have you been? The school called to say you were not in your afternoon classes yesterday and I left about ten messages on your phone. You don't call or come home last night, and now here you are crawling into the house sunburnt and not even remorseful at all. Jesus, **I CALLED THE FUCKING POLICE!** " Darlene cried out as the officer held up his hand.

"Ms. Harlow, can you tell me where you were last night, where you stayed, who you were with?"

"I was with friends from school. I stayed over at Andrea's house" she lied, watching the officer writing.

"What is Andrea's last name?"

Feeling the dryness in her throat, Piper sighed as she looked at the cop.

"I…don't actually know. I only just met her from English class yesterday."

Watching her mother throwing up her hands before leaving the foyer, Piper gestured towards the small kitchen as the officer followed her.

Downing a large glass of water before re-filling it from the faucet, she watched the officer pull out a card before laying it on the kitchen table.

"Your mother has requested a truancy officer to keep track of your school attendance. You will have to report after every class to the administration office and sign your name. If you skip your classes, you may face suspension or even expulsion from Huntington Park" he spoke as he tapped his card.

"This is my card, if you have any questions."

Staying in the kitchen as the officer left, she heard her mother and step-father's words as they sounded closer.

 _Here it comes_

"He told you what you have to do when you get back to school on Monday?" Darlene questioned, as she folded her arms across her chest.

"I can't believe you called the police."

"Piper, what was I suppose to do? You didn't come home, or call, what was I suppose to think? This is Los Angeles, you could have been dead for all I knew. Jesus, it's like I don't even know you" Darlene added as she stared at her daughter.

"You know something? You are right. You don't know anything about me. You've been too damn busy with your own life to even notice me. I'm fourteen years old, and all you've done is move me to another country where I don't know anyone and you're too damn scared to let me leave the front fucking lawn!"

"Get to your room now Piper. Like I said, you are grounded. School and home that's it."

Hearing the spite in her mother's voice, Piper clenched her teeth as she spun around on her heel.

 _Fine then, ground me see if I care_

Storming towards her bedroom, she detoured into the bathroom and slammed the door, hitting the lock as she pulled off her tank top and slipped out of her jeans. Kicking her clothes aside as she gathered her hair up with a clip, she leaned close to the cracked vanity mirror and stared into her eyes.

"Maybe I'll get myself legally emancipated" she whispered, watching the corners of her lips pulling into a grin.

Stepping away from the basin, she switched on the shower faucets and sat on the edge of the tub, watching the water pooling around the drain.

" _I don't think that's necessary, if anything, I'd like to know what it is that you deeply desire?"_

Feeling her mouth falling open as she pulled up the faucet to activate the shower, she held her hand out and watched as the water dripped from her fingers.

"I wonder what he would have said if I said told him I don't see anything in my future?" she whispered, rising to her feet and stepping over the edge. Closing her eyes as the cool water hit her face, she opened her mouth and gulped greedily at the water.

"Let them try and keep me in this two-bedroom bungalow" she spat, spitting the water out.

…

 _3 hours later…_

"I don't know why she is acting like this Jimmy, I really don't."

Finishing the last of the chicken on his plate, Jimmy tapped his hand on the table top before throwing his eyes over his shoulder.

"She doesn't know how good she's got it" he spat, finishing his beer as Darlene rose to her feet.

"Maybe assigning her a truant officer for school will get her straightened out" she offered, setting the dishes in the sink basin.

"She's burning bridges everywhere Darlene, if anything, she is going to find herself arrested for theft or something else. It's just a matter of time."

"The school may have access to a psychologist…"

Scoffing as he grabbed his cane, Jimmy shook his head as he watched his wife prepping a plate for Piper.

"We can't afford that. We can barely afford the rent for this place along with the other bills, and I don't want to be forking over our grocery money on her."

Watching her husband pushing open the screen door that was barely being held on by screws, Darlene leaned against the counter as she stared at her social work textbooks…

 _(Flashback)_

" _How difficult is it for a widow to actually get approval to adopt?"_

 _Handing over two documents that required signatures, Darlene Harlow sat across from the middle aged social worker as she tucked her husband's death certificate back into her purse._

" _The application that you and your husband had submitted months ago put you right up top on the list for a child. As you stated that you would prefer an older child from the age of six up, that actually helps your application as you are aware, most couples and single's are looking to adopt a baby."_

 _A clean slate she thought as she signed both documents, officially changing her application status from married to single._

" _Darlene, I've known you for nearly five years and I don't want to get your hopes up, but we actually took possession of a child just over a week ago."_

 _Folding her hands in her lap, Darlene edged forward in her chair as she stared at the worker._

" _Can you tell me more about him or her?"_

" _It's a girl. Four years old I believe, Caucasian. She was brought into and left in the Emergency Room of Toronto General. She had been rescued from an apartment fire that killed both of her parents. The police confirmed the parents as drug dealers and a thorough examination of the child revealed that she has no drug residue in her body._

" _She's healthy?"_

" _She is..."_

…

 _Mr G's Pawn Shop, 7775 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA…_

Steering the wheel of the black 1962 Corvette to the curbside of the road, Lucifer slide his shades off the bridge of his nose and folded them into his black suit jacket pocket. Rounding the front of the vintage car, his dark eyes read the stickered advertisements littering the windows as he pulled open the front door.

Striding past the cashier as he steadied his eyes on the far back corner of the shop, he heard the young woman's sharp intake of breath as her mouth fell open at the sight of him.

 _That's it dear, take a good look_

Feeling the cashier's eyes burning into his back, Lucifer smiled as he strode past a baggy red jacketed woman with matted hair and a dark green raincoated man clutching two suitcases before he leaned his arm on the buyer's counter.

"Hello Gerald."

Gripping the long grey-haired man by the excess fabric of his red plaid shirt, Lucifer easily hauled the heavyset man over the counter ledge and onto the floor before pushing him up against the dirty wall and off his feet.

"Now, lets make this quick and easy, shall we? Where is my coin pawnbroker?" he growled, tightening his fingers around the man's throat as he let out a gurgle.

Feeling eyes, the dark-haired man turned his head and smiled at the customers waiting to hock the last of their possessions for a few lousy bucks.

"Store is closed ladies and gentlemen:" he grinned, hearing the suitcases clatter to the ground as feet clamored towards the front door.

"Where…is it human."

Gripping the sleeve of Lucifer's arm, Gerald coughed as he dropped to the ground.

"The kid…the kid had it, brought it in here" he sputtered as Lucifer narrowed his eyes.

"The girl, yes the little pick pocket teenager, I know she _had_ it" he spoke, catching Gerald's head as he stared to shake.

"No…she still has it" he confirmed, bringing his hand up against his sweaty throat.

"Interesting that you wouldn't offer to buy it" Lucifer purred as he nudged the man's sneaker with his own dress shoe.

"It…showed me things when I touched it."

 _Yes, of course it did. It should you Hell, and your very own spot in it_

"Did the girl give you an address?"

Shaking his head as he loosened the buttons of his shirt, Gerald raised his eyes and breathed deeply.

"All she said was that she was eighteen."

Scowling as he offered a hand out to the slumped over man, Lucifer bit his tongue as he spoke.

"Well she's not eighteen, she's only fourteen. And quite the little devil herself in thinking she could make a few bucks off me" he added, ignoring the pawnbroker as he moved back towards the front door of the store.

Tipping at an imaginary hat as he passed by the terrified cashier, Lucifer smiled as he took his shades out from his jacket.

"Have a nice day now."

…

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

 _2:57am_

Watching the fence gate swing open as he approached the yard, the fallen angel ran a hand across his stubbled chin as he approached the white bungalow. Standing on the top red step as he looked up at the porchlight, Lucifer let out a quick puff of air as the bulb shattered around his feet.

"Much better for the mood" he smiled, twisting open the front door.

Standing in the foyer, Lucifer closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he picked up on a multitude of scents.

"Someone has whisky" he purred, slowly making his way down the hall. Entering the living room, his eyes fell on a bottle of Jack Daniels and as he touched the rim, he caught her voice, soft, and weak.

Standing at the closed bedroom door, he cocked an ear as he heard her whisper.

 _Be afraid little girl_

Throwing her door open, he immediately caught the handle before it slammed against the wall. Taking a step inside the threshold, he closed the door behind him and simply stared at the still sleeping form laying sprawled out in the single bed.

Stepping forward, his foot banged against a stack of books as one specific hardcover caught his eye.

" _Faust_ by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe" he breathed with a smile as he glanced down at Piper. Flipping through the pages, his eyes read through the conversations between Faust and Mephistopheles before smiling at a separate passage.

 _How different, Gretchen, it was with three,_

 _When thou, still full of innocence._

 _Here to the altar cam'st,_

 _Out of the well-worn, little book_

 _Didst prattle prayers,_

 _Half childhood's play,_

 _Half God in thy heart!_

Taking a seat on the edge of the desk, Lucifer closed the book and folded his hands over his front.

Scanning his eyes around the room, he took in the bare walls and multitude of books before his ears picked up the muffled soft notes of a familiar singer.

Coming to stand at Piper's bedside, he looked down into her sleeping face before noticing the thin black wire wrapping from her ears and across her bare throat.

"No good strangling yourself in your sleep before I get what I came for" he breathed, lightly tracing his thumb along the earbud before lifting it off her throat. Bringing the pink earbud up to his ear, he felt the smile spreading across his lips as Nina Simone's _Feeling Good_ played.

"Light fingers, broad backbone, loyalty to fellow street urchins, good taste in music, and so far, interesting books. I find you interesting Ms. Harlow" he spoke, taking his cigarettes out of his blazer. Snapping open his stainless-steel lighter, he lit the flame and immediately brought his eyes down on Piper as she rolled over to face him.

Letting the flame linger as he watched her lips, he narrowed his eyes as she started to whisper…

"Fire…fire…."

Snapping the lid shut, he lowered himself down and peered into her face as he noticed his coin between the fingers of her right hand. Feeling the heat of the coin as he brought his hand close, he watched as she clenched it tightly before letting it fall off the edge of the mattress.

Scooping it up in his hand, he slipped it back into his pocket before pulling back the human flesh that covered his face. Staring at her closed eyes with his own blood red irises, Lucifer took a deep breath and felt a surprising ease as he reached out and touched his thumb against her eyelid.

"Who are you Piper Harlow?"

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to Brookeworm3 for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**


	5. Chapter 4

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 4**

 **Song(s): Problem (Natalia Kills), Freedom 90 (George Michael)**

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

 _Monday, 6:34am_

Downing her orange juice in one gulp, Piper sat the glass in the sink basin before gathering her hair up, pulling it into a ponytail with the black elastic around her wrist.

She had deliberately woken up early to avoid her mother and Jimmy and as she stuffed three granola bars and two apples into her spare black bag, she heard her step-father coughing.

"No time for another shitty confrontation" she breathed, grabbing her water bottle off the counter before pulling open the screen door to the backyard. Rounding the corner of the house as she ducked beneath the bathroom window, she strode towards the gated fence and skidded to a complete halt as she sniffed the air.

 _Cigarette smoke_

Staring at the curbside of the road on the other side of the fence, she sniffed at the lingering scent remembering the faint smell she had woken up to the previous morning. Pulling open the gate, she marched through and left it open before shoving in her earbuds.

…

 _LUX Nightclub, 6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

"Your little blond Detective friend was here looking for you earilier."

Hearing Maze's words as he stifled a yawn, Lucifer finished the last of his coffee before checking his watch.

"The Detective has certainly been vying for my undivided attention as of late" he spoke, taking his familiar coin out of his pocket, allowing it to spin above his palm.

"That's another thing, are you getting someone to come and get rid of the spray-painted shit that has been there since Saturday?"

 _Now now Maze_

"Yes, as a matter of fact, and I am going to fetch her as we speak."

"You're bringing that smart mouthed kid back here?" she moaned, tossing aside a hand towel as Lucifer stared her down.

"If anything, you and her have a lot in common."

…

 _Huntington Park High School, 6020 Miles Ave, Los Angeles, California…_

 _11:54am_

"I'm sure this is a waste of your time, me having to interrupt you every hour to sign my name, so why don't I just come in and sign at the end of the day?"

Raising his eyes, the seated blond-haired man tucked off in the corner of the front desk administration office let out a low chuckle as he rose to his feet.

"You're not the first student Ms. Harlow to try and strike a deal with me" the man spoke as he took up a closed notebook and approached the counter. Flipping it open to today's date, Piper watched as the truant officer placed a checkmark beside her second period math class before turning the page around for her to sign.

"How long do I have to do this for?" she moaned, tossing the pen aside as the officer closed the book.

"Really, for as long as I see necessary. And that, could be for the rest of your high school career" he spat, catching Piper's scowl just as the lunch bell started to ring.

"See you after lunch Ms. Harlow."

Muttering under her breath as she left the administration office, she made a beeline for any door that would get her outside and as she burst out into the hot sticky Los Angeles air, she closed her eyes and brought her face up towards the sun.

Feeling her stomach growling, she walked along the pathway and hopped over a thin rope cautioning off a flowerbed as she jumped over it. Crossing the street to the empty park, she sat down beneath a tree offering shade before unzipping her bag. Rummaging through every pocket for the third time that morning, she found no silver coin as she took out her granola bar and apple.

"Lost forever I suppose" she muttered as she broke the bar in half. Munching silently as she watched a flock of pigeons startle before taking to the blue sky.

Taking out her notebook and pen, she turned to a fresh page and threw the date up in the right-hand corner. Writing the word _emancipation_ before underlining it, she sat her pen on the next page and started to make a list of what needed to be done to make it happen.

"I need a job, but what can I get at fourteen years old that would even pay to rent a shitty room somewhere?" she questioned out loud as shadows fell over her page.

"I'm glad to see you are not in jail!" an excited male voice sounded from behind her as she threw her eyes up to see Andrea and Jacob collapsing in a heap on the grass in front of her, pushing her bag out of the way of their shoes.

Watching Dylan taking a seat next to her, Piper shifted as she shoved her notebook and pen back into the pocket of her bag.

"God, she's only fourteen Jacob; they wouldn't throw her in jail, she's a minor" Andrea spat as she caught Piper's eye.

"But seriously, thanks for not rating us out."

 _Yeah sure, my pleasure_

"So, are you gonna tell us what happened? Did they catch you?"

 _They caught me alright…_

"What…is the name of the club owner that fired your sister?" Piper questioned as Andrea closed her eyes.

"I don't know. Morningstar…I think is the last name or something close to it. Why?"

"Cause the guy that grabbed me in the alley and dragged me into the club didn't say his name. Neither did the woman that was with him, though I think I heard Maze"

"Sounds like a strip club to me" Dylan chuckled as a group of seniors dressed in matching team basketball jerseys walked by.

"He didn't call the cops, just sat me in a chair and demanded to know all your names" Piper began as Jacob swallowed hard.

"You look scared."

Catching Jacob's eye, she felt her lips pulling into a grin as he felt Andrea's hand on his.

"What else happened?"

Staring at the zipper on her bag, Piper felt her lips pulling into a small smile as she opened her mouth to speak.

"He asked me what I deeply desired."

Narrowing her eyes as Piper shook her head, Andrea Burrows scoffed before throwing her eyes onto Dylan and Jacob.

"Okay, that's creepy. But he didn't call the cops for us vandalizing his place?"

Remembering his dark eyes framed by even darker lashes, Piper shivered as the out of synch school bells rang signaling the end of lunch.

"Are you skipping this afternoon?"

Hearing Andrea's voice as she rose to her feet, Piper sneered as she grabbed her bag.

"Oh yeah, and because you made me leave my backpack behind of which was no longer in the alley after they pushed me out the front door, I was left without a phone and money for the bus meaning I had to walk over two hours home and am now apparently grounded until I am eighteen with an assigned truancy officer to boot" she spat as Dylan brushed up against her arm.

"Want me to talk to them? Tell them it's a sunny day out and you need the color in your cheeks?"

Moving away from her "friends," Piper shook her head as she bit her tongue.

 _I'm gonna slug you right in the face if you don't stop sniffing around me…_

"God damn, that is a nice car."

Moving her eyes around her fellow classmates as they started for the stairs towards the front double set of doors to the high school, Piper Harlow only caught a glimpse of short black hair before her eyes took in the stubbled profile of the man that had beat her to the alleyway on Hollywood Blvd.

"No way…"

Halting in her steps as she stood on the top concreate stair, she felt Andrea bumping into her back as she stared at the owner of LUX.

"You got a thing for cars Piper?" she questioned as the fourteen-year-old smiled.

"If I were you guys, I'd get inside before he sees you."

Hearing her friend's warning, Andrea squinted her eyes as she recognized the tall suited man leaning on the edge of the Corvette.

"Oh shit…"

Feeling her friends pushing past, Piper spun around on her heel and descended the stairs in a foot traffic that was trying to get into the building. Reaching the bottom step, she pulled her shoulders back as she stared walking towards the dark-haired nightclub owner, feeling an odd curiosity as to why he was so far from the glamour of Hollywood Blvd.

"I think this still qualifies as school property for your smoking."

Hearing the teenager's voice as he took a drag from the cigarette between his fingers, Lucifer Morningstar felt the corners of his lips pulling into a smirk as he flung the butt to the ground.

"Dear is me, I shall go straight to Hell I suppose" he smiled as he crossed his hands across his front.

 _Okay, this is weird…why is he here?_

"Um, are you here to see me?" Piper questioned as Lucifer took in the face of Lou Reed on her black t-shirt

 _Oh Lou, we did have some fun old times in the Factory_

"Who else would I be here to see?" he questioned back as he looked up to the windows of the school.

"I take it you saw my band of merry men…"

"Ah yes, your accomplices in the vandalism of my club. Still refusing to give me any names?" he questioned, staring down into her face as Piper swallowed hard.

 _God, how tall is he?_

"Look, I'm sorry for my part. If it makes you feel any better, I'm grounded for the next four years and I have to report to a truancy officer before and after every class for probably the same length of time" she spoke as Lucifer smiled.

"Well now, you see that your human actions have dire consequences" he began as Piper bit back the curse lingering in her throat.

"Yes" she muttered, watching as he slipped a hand into his pant pocket.

"I imagine that took guts to say the word yes and to not tell me off" he smiled as Piper looked back over her shoulder at the empty front stairs.

"You are quite burnt from the sun child, I imagine my coin didn't fetch quite the money you were after?"

Bringing her eyes back onto his face, she offered out her empty hands as he narrowed his own eyes.

"I…lost your coin."

Pulling his hand out of his black pant pocket, Lucifer kept hold of her eyes as he flicked a silver coin up into the air before catching it in the palm of his hand without breaking her stare.

Watching the mixed look of surprise and curiosity crossing her eyes as he flicked the coin once more, Lucifer tucked it away as he sensed her mind trying to sort it all out.

 _There is no way he has that coin_

 _I remember flipping it over and over in my hand as I was reading Saturday night_

Taking a deep breath as she smelled the lingering cigarette smoke, she shook her head and let out a nervous laugh.

 _Smells faintly the same as when I woke up Sunday morning_

 _There is no way in hell this guy broke into my bedroom to take back a coin_

Taking a step backwards as she gestured a hand towards the school, Piper watched as the man straightened up to his full height before adjusting the cuffs of his black suit jacket.

"I have to go to class…" she spoke calmly, watching as Lucifer stepped up beside her.

"Want me to talk to them? Tell them it's a sunny day out and you need the color in your cheeks?"

Blinking in surprise as the man at her side repeated Dylan's earlier words, she stared as he began to walk towards the front staircase.

"Well? Do you want me to get you out?"

She had shaken her head at Dylan's offering, but as she watched Lucifer stretching out his hand, she felt a smile crossing her face.

"Yes."

…

"Hello there love, I have friend of mine here who needs to be signed out of jail by someone of age, now whom do I see?"

Throwing her eyes up onto Lucifer's profile, Piper felt her mouth falling open wide as the secretary seated at the desk looked up.

"Are you her parent?" the woman asked as Lucifer appeared taken aback.

"Goodness no, if she were my child she would never have stepped foot in this run-down building for what you call an education" he barked, tapping his fingers along the edge of the counter like piano keys.

"You…need to speak with Mr. Mitchell. Allan?"

Looking over the woman's head, Lucifer smiled as he lowered his gaze onto the eyes of a blond man on the wrong side of forty.

"I'm just curious dear, why do you continue to show up here morning after morning if you absolutely detest being around teenagers?" he asked, watching the secretary running her fingers over her lips.

"Come on now, you can tell me" he smiled, catching movement out of the corner of his eye.

Leaning forward, the woman kept her eyes firmly fixed on Lucifer's face as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I come here…because some of the kids sell good weed" she breathed as Lucifer let out a laugh.

 _What in the hell is going on?_

"I am Allan Mitchell, assigned truancy officer for this school. How can I help you?"

Straightening the lapels of his jacket, Lucifer smiled as he laid a hand on Piper's shoulder and pushed her up towards the counter.

"I'm Lucifer Morningstar and this little ray of sunshine would like to be excused for the rest of the afternoon. I believe we just sign and…"

Watching the man breaking into laugher as he clutched a black record book, Lucifer licked his lips as he himself started to chuckle.

"My request is not absurd and I do have places to be, so if we could get on with it" he began as Mitchell cut him off.

"And just who are you? I know you are not her step-father, and I've met her mother, so what is your reason for being here? You have friends that are teenagers?" he added, catching the twitch on Lucifer's lips.

"Oh, I have many friends of all ages, but the question is, how much will it take to spring her out of here?"

"I'm sorry but you want to bribe me? Karen, call the police right now, this…"

"Oh, police will not be necessary if you just tell me what it is that you truly desire" Lucifer whispered as he caught Mitchell's eye.

Watching the book fall from the officer's hand, Piper stared in amazement as the man let out a nervous laugh.

"I…uh….man, what I really want? Is to just rip up all the sign in sheets and have all these asshole kids thrown out of school with no education to end up on the streets" he spoke as Piper felt all the color leaving her face.

"There, that wasn't so bad now was it? So much easier than forking over money. Oh, and don't forget to call this little urchin's parents so she's not grounded until she's forty-five" he smiled, turning around and bumping into Piper's shoulder.

"Well then, shall we?"

Stepping out into the scorching California sun, Piper took a deep breath as she began rolling up the sleeves of her t-shirt.

"Right then, so I've sprung you free for a reason child. You still have a mess to clean up all over the outside walls of my club which has been closed for two days, bleeding my revenue" he spoke, catching Piper's cough as she slipped off her backpack.

"What….happened back there?"

Hearing her question as he reached into his jacket for a cigarette and lighter, Lucifer pushed the filter against his lips as he brought a hand protectively against the flame.

"I got you out of your classes for the day" he answered simply as Piper shook her head.

"He seemed like he was hypnotized, same with the secretary" she spoke cautiously, giving herself some space as Lucifer blew out a long puff of smoke.

"What, like a magic trick?" he smiled as he tossed the cigarette to the ground.

"More like, a con man" she corrected as the Devil gave a hearty laugh.

"If I remember correctly Ms. Harlow, you have quite the sticky fingers yourself."

Approaching the pristine Corvette, she had just swung her bag over the door before it suddenly landed back on the ground at her feet.

"Oh no no Piper Harlow, there will be no free ride today" Lucifer scolded as he took out his keys and opened the door to the Corvette. Sliding over the seat, he slammed the door and adjusted his review mirror as Piper stood confused.

"Wait a minute. You want me to come and clean off the graffiti on your club, but you're not going to give me a ride? How am I suppose to get to Hollywood Blvd that's a two-hour walk" she blurted out as Lucifer turned over the engine of the car.

"Well I've sprung you out for the afternoon giving you a nearly two-hour head start. FYI? It starts to get dark in Los Angeles around eight."

Shifting the vintage car into gear, he felt the smile spreading across his lips as he watched Piper's surprised face growing distant in the mirror.

 _I don't fucking believe this guy_

…

 _6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

Slamming the large sponge down into the bucket of dirty soapy water, Piper muttered under her breath as she threw her hands up onto her hips.

"This is fucking insane! Nothing is coming off these walls with what they gave me" she moaned, brushing the back of her hand up against her forehead, pushing her bangs aside.

Staring at the word _devil_ that she had sprayed days earlier, she reached out and traced her fingers along the lower part of the D as she felt a shiver running over her shoulders.

"Screw this, I need something to drink."

Rounding the corner of the alleyway, she organized the argument in her head that if the front part of the club was clean and spotless, then she could get away with coming back some other time for the side of the building that would require more than a little elbow grease.

Pulling open the front door, she closed her eyes as the cool breeze of the central air hit her face. Walking down the dimly lit hallway, her ears picked up the low beats of a George Michael song in the distance as she rounded a corner and found herself standing in front of a railing on a balcony above a, open dance floor. Spanning her eyes across the dark room, she spied a well-stocked bar and a figure leaning over a binder.

Descending the stairs, Piper took a seat on one of the black leather stools and folded her hands together on the counter.

Slowly turning around, Maze narrowed her dark eyes as she tapped the tip of her pen against her burgundy colored lips.

"Aren't you supposed to be outside scrubbing?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow as she jotted down two numbers in the binder.

"I need a drink, it's like ninety degrees outside even in the shade" Piper moaned as she spotted two bowls of maraschino cherries and green olives.

Grinning as she slid two glasses over from a stack against her left arm, Maze turned and stared at the wall of alcohol before choosing a tall beige looking bottle. Pulling off the lid, she withdrew a sealed bottle and sat it on the counter.

"Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Kentucky Whiskey. You know that I am not old enough to drink right?" Piper questioned as she watched Maze pour into the two glasses. Sliding one against the teenager's fingers, she raised her eyebrow in curiosity.

"Says who?"

Scoffing as she watched the scantly clad bartender down her glass in a single gulp, Piper traced a single finger around the rim of the glass as Maze put the bottle away.

"Um, says the state of California?" she chuckled as Maze leaned a hand on the counter.

"And who are _they_ to tell you what you can and can not drink?" she purred as Piper started to laugh.

"You're not from around here, are you?" she questioned as she inched her fingers towards the cherries.

"Kid, you have no idea" the demon smiled as she slapped Piper's hand away from the bowl.

"I'm Piper by the way."

Smiling as she tucked a pen behind her ear, Maze studied the girl and for once, liked what she saw behind the tough exterior.

 _Oh what the hell_

"Maze, and paying customer's only. Drink your Bourbon" she chided, watching the teenager throw back the expensive liquid before breaking into a fit of coughing.

"Good?"

"Terrible" she coughed out as Maze pushed a bottle of Evian water towards her.

"Other's would disagree at six hundred and ninety-eight dollars a bottle, including my boss" she smiled as Piper immediately stopped coughing.

Leaning on the bar, she stared at the woman before her with wide eyes as she pushed the glass forward.

"Is Mr. Morningstar around?"

Grabbing the glasses, Maze shook her head as she uttered another threat regarding the cherries.

"He's at "work" with Detective Decker."

"Wait a minute, he's a police officer?" she asked, rising from the bar stool as she clenched her left hand closed.

Spying the girl's hand, Maze quickly reached over and slapped it open as Piper shook her fingers from the pain.

"Damn! That was a little excessive" she spat, walking away from the bar as she pivoted on the heel of her shoe.

"Hey Maze?"

Hearing her name as she looked up from her binder, she narrowed her dark eyes as she watched the girl open her left hand to reveal nothing before opening her right.

"Delicious cherries" she smirked, tossing all three into her mouth as she made her way back up the staircase for the outside.

"That little shit" she spat before feeling her lips pulling into a smile.

…

 _Intersection of Exposition Blvd and S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California_

"I know you probably don't believe me Lucifer, but I want to thank you for helping me with Bobby. Though God knows having two A type personalities in one interview room is enough for anyone" Chloe Decker spoke as she hit her right turn signal.

 _Does God really know?_

Staring out the open window as he let the warm air of the late afternoon whip around his fingers, Lucifer hummed as his eyes took in another cluster of homeless tents built out of shopping carts and rain tarps.

"Is He really allowing all this to prove a point?" he blurted out as Chloe barely caught sight of what he was referring to.

"Some people make life choices that ultimately lead them down dark paths. Be it drugs, alcohol, or whatever."

"So, what you're saying is that even though God is supposedly looking over their shoulders, it is the human mind that is really the devil in all this" he scowled as Decker shrugged her shoulders.

"You mean to say you've never been tempted to go down a dark path?"

Letting out a laugh as he caught her eye, Lucifer winked before looking back out his window.

"I'm all about dark paths Detective. Anyone that has spent ten minutes with me knows that" he spoke as Chloe tucked her chin into her chest.

"I've spent fifteen minutes with you Lucifer, and from what I've seen? You are not about to drag anyone down."

Feeling his lips twitching as he thought of Piper Harlow who was no doubt cursing his name with her every being, he nodded his head as Decker's mobile phone rang.

"It's still early Detective Decker."

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to Brookeworm3 for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. I'd love some more reviews! Hint hint wink wink….**

 *****THIS STORY IS NOT GOING TO BE ALL SUNSHINE AND ROSES!"""**


	6. Chapter 5

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 5**

 **Song(s): Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash), Exactly Like You (Nina Simone)**

 _LUX Nightclub, 6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

 _7:24pm_

"I can't scrub anymore; my hands are so raw and wrinkled."

Letting the sponge and wire brush fall from her hands, Piper Harlow stared at the faint black spray-painted letters of the word devil still obvious on the wall of the club. Flexing her sore fingers as she bent down and took up the bucket, she rounded the corner of the building and stopped dead as she spied the dark Corvette parked along the curb.

 _And if I accidentally tripped? dumping the dirty water all over the hood?_

Grinning as she tightly gripped the handle of the pale, she moved to the front doors and pulled the far right open as she felt the cool air against her face.

Walking along the corridor, she glanced at the black painted walls as her ears picked up the notes of piano keys

"There's a piano in here?"

Rounding the corner towards the balcony, her eyes spanned out over the floor, booths, couches, and tables as she spied a lone dark-haired man seated behind a black baby grand. Listening to the expertly played notes as she slowly walked down the stairs, she looked to the bar and failed to see Maze as the man began to sing.

"But I shot a man in Reno

Just to watch him die

When I hear that whistle blowing

I hang my head and cry…"

Hearing him lowering his voice in tune with the great Johnny Cash as his fingers danced over the keys, Piper listened as he struck the notes effortlessly before shouting over the music.

"Is this song for me?" she questioned, catching his eye as he smiled.

"Is this place your very own Folsom Prison?" Lucifer shouted as he watched the teenager moving to the corner of the piano.

 _If I reached out and touched the lid he'd probably backhand me for leaving prints_ she thought as she remembered the bucket of dirty water at the top of the stairs.

"Feels like it" she quipped back as the seated man smiled.

Walking around, Piper came to stand behind the bench as Lucifer finished the song with flourish. Folding his hands together on top of the piano he took up the resting shot glass between his fingers giving a cheer to the young girl as he downed the liquid.

"Your bartender gave me a shot of bourbon worth six hundred and ninety-eight dollars by the way" Piper spoke as Lucifer let out a chuckle.

"Well, Mazikeen is quite the little demon" he grinned, flipping his glass and setting it upside down on the piano.

 _Okay, that's an interesting way to describe someone_

"I told her I was fourteen years old and she still served me a drink."

"Did she force you to drink it?"

Feeling taken aback as she watched Lucifer turn around to face her, Piper felt her mouth falling open.

"No"

"Then you made your own decision to drink the bourbon at the age of fourteen years old."

"But…"

Cutting her off with a questioning look, Lucifer shifted around on the bench to fully face her. "No buts. You made the decision. You broke the law under your own doing because deeply you _wanted_ to drink the bourbon. You humans and your privilege of choice" he purred as Piper bit the tip of her tongue.

 _He's right_

"How did it taste?"

"Disgusting."

"Your palette needs some considerable work" he mumbled as she felt her stomach growling.

 _When was the last time I ate something?_ She wondered as she remembered her lonely granola bar at lunchtime.

"Did you finish your chore?"

 _God, he is just…pompous_

"I've done what I could, but honestly, the spray paint is still there."

" **MAZE?"**

Wincing as his shout carried across the quiet bar floor, Piper caught movement from behind the counter where no one had stood seconds earlier.

"I'll call someone to finish it" she spoke, narrowing her eyes as she started to unpack a large box of bottles.

Feeling the uncomfortable silence spreading over the open room as the clang of glass bottles sounded from the bar, Piper shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Um, I'm going to start walking home" she spoke as Lucifer slowly rose to his feet.

Taking a step backwards as the tall dark-haired man straightened the collars of his black suit jacket, she hoped to high hell that he was about to offer her a ride.

 _Walking two hours in the dark across Los Angeles on an empty stomach is not going to be pretty_

"Well, I don't know about you but I am starving."

Hearing his words, Piper felt her stomach growling again as she looked up to see him staring directly into her face.

"I can hear your stomach growling."

"I have no money if you are offering me dinner" she spoke, catching the taunt in his eyes.

"I know you have no money, I checked your wallet."

"You…you have my backpack?"

Slowly snapping his fingers, Piper nearly fell backwards as her bag was hurled through the air and caught easily in the hand of Lucifer Morningstar.

"Indeed."

Holding the bag out as if it was contaminated, his eyes followed her hand as she slowly reached out. Taking her bag, she slung it onto her back as he rubbed his hands together.

"Now, where shall we eat."

…

 _Patina, 141 South Grand Ave, Los Angeles, California_

"I'm surprised you didn't walk into Chucky Cheese, a more kid friendly place" Piper muttered under her breath as she followed Lucifer and the hostess to a booth in the very back of the restaurant.

"And here we are Mr. Morningstar" the stick thin hostess smiled as she pursed her red lips.

"Thank you, Vanessa."

Rolling her eyes as she watched the woman drag her red manicured nails over Lucifer's sleeve, Piper took a heavy seat as she averted her eyes from the shameless display of flirtation.

Taking his own seat, Lucifer folded his hands together as two glasses of sparkling water and a glass of red wine were immediately placed on the white linen tablecloth.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" he asked innocently as Piper had a flashback to their earlier conversation in the nightclub…

" _You made the decision. You broke the law under your own doing because deeply you wanted to drink the bourbon."_

"I'll pass" she whispered, taking up her glass of water. Taking a sip, she couldn't help herself as she downed the entire glass in four gulps. Feeling curious eyes, she avoided his shit eating grin as he pushed his own untouched glass towards her.

"Must be dehydrated from hours outside in the heat" she spat as two menus were placed on the table.

"Order anything you'd like."

 _I am so out of place here_

"You are obviously not a police officer" she began as his dark eyes lingered with surprise.

"What would suggest to you that I am an officer of the law?"

"I asked Maze where you were earlier, and she said you were out working with a Detective."

"I see. Would you find it funny that I work with the LAPD as a civilian consultant?" Lucifer offered as Piper pursed her lips together.

"You remind me of those smooth-talking con men from the movies, so yeah, I find it funny."

Scanning her eyes over a few of the other seated diners, not one was without an expensive looking piece of clothing, handbag, or anything lower than a three-inch heel on their foot.

 _And here I am in a Lou Reed t-shirt and black skinny jeans_

Tugging slightly on the shoulder of her shirt, Piper laid down her menu as Lucifer flicked open his silver lighter.

 _Fire…_

Feeling the lump growing in her throat as she stared at the flame, she felt the man's curious eyes staring as he kept the cigarette between his lips. Holding the lighter tight, Lucifer moved his hand closer towards Piper face as she froze completely.

 _The terror in those eyes_

 _Interesting_

"You don't like fire?"

Pressing her back firmly against the booth seat, Piper felt her breath quickening as Lucifer quickly snapped the lid closed.

Blinking slowly as she smelled the familiar scent of the cigarette, Piper looked down to her hands and was surprised to see her fingers clenched into fists.

"Welcome back Ms. Harlow" Lucifer smiled as she quickly rose to her feet. Leaving the booth, she strode with determination towards the restaurant door and as she pushed past a group of people and stumbled out into the hot Los Angeles night, she heard a throat clear to her right.

"Too much excitement for you?"

Sucking in a deep breath of air, Piper watched as the tall man flicked his cigarette off the edge of the sidewalk before bringing his eyes back onto hers.

"How…how did you get out here so fast?" she breathed, hearing the beats of a techno song from a BMW speeding past.

"Out the front door of course" he lied, straightening up to his full six-foot three height.

"I don't like fire" she blurted out as Lucifer shoved his hands into the pockets of his black dress pants.

"Yes, I could see that. Why not?"

Shaking her head slowly, Piper took a deep breath as she moved out of the way of a couple trying to enter the restaurant.

"Can we go somewhere else to eat?"

…

 _Burger King, 230 South Alvarado Street, Los Angeles, California_

Standing in the doorway of the fast food restaurant, Lucifer Morningstar clicked his tongue against the inside of his cheek as the scent of cheap burger patties and grease invaded his nostrils.

"Now whose out of place" he muttered as he followed the young teenager up to a till.

"What can I get for you?"

Looking down into the pimply face of a teenager wearing the nametag _Matt,_ Lucifer sneered as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Do you have anything here that isn't dripping with grease and fried to the point of blackness?" he questioned as the teenager stared blankly.

"Sir, you're in a Burger King" he began, looking confused as the Devil looked down into Piper's face.

"Your move child" he spoke with a heavy accent, handing over two twenty-dollar bills to the cashier before turning around to find a booth.

"Um, I'll have a chicken sandwich with fries and a bottle of water and…" It had to be some sort of sign. Staring at the menu board she smiled as she ordered the veggie burger with fries and another bottle of water. Accepting the change, she had almost thought to pocket it but thought better as she took her receipt and drinks.

Sliding the change across the table top, Piper held out a bottle of water as Lucifer sat it aside.

"Your change and the receipt" she spoke, twisting off the cap and taking a large sip of water.

"You've stolen once from the Devil, am I to understand that you don't want to go to Hell by giving me back my change?" he questioned with a chuckle as Piper swallowed hard.

"I've done a lot worse than steal from you" she muttered as Lucifer inched forward.

"Oh, do tell. I love a good confession" he smiled as Piper felt the corners of her lips pulling.

"Chicken sandwich?"

Moving her hands as another cashier sat down her tray, Piper watched as another tray landed in front of Lucifer.

"And the Morningstar veggie burger."

Throwing his eyes up onto the middle-aged cashier, he felt his mouth falling open as Piper suppressed her smile with a french fry.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You…didn't order the veggie burger?"

"This…excuse for a burger attached to my name? Certainly not" he scowled as Piper took up her water bottle.

"Are you worried about trademark infringement?"

"What I'm worried about is the thought of something so synthetic and ghastly labelled with my last name passing over some desirable young man or woman's lips" he replied, catching a pressed in thumb print on the side of the sesame bun.

"Morningstar is the name of the farm that made the burger. I just thought it was fate you should have it."

"I see."

Pushing the tray away with two fingers as he took up his water bottle, he unscrewed the cap and took a small sip.

"Is Morningstar your real last name?"

Focusing his eyes, Lucifer smiled as he watched her eat a fry.

"It is."

"What is your first name?"

"Lucifer."

Coughing on the small bit of fry, Piper grabbed her water bottle and took a deep sip.

"Your name is Lucifer? For real?" she coughed as the seated man took out his pack of cigarettes.

 _No_

"Yes."

"And people don't have a problem calling you that?" she breathed as the Devil cocked an eye.

"People call me all sorts of names. Satan, Beelzebub, Prince of Darkness, Evil One, Old Nick" he began as Piper stared blankly.

"Okay…so you're a nightclub owner with a stage name and a reputation to uphold. My name sounds like I should be a star of the screen or stage" she breathed as she ate another fry. Watching Lucifer pulling out his lighter, she felt her blood running cold just as a shadow came over the table.

"Hey, you can't smoke in here you know."

Raising his dark eyes onto young Matthew struggling to pull out a garbage bag without it spilling onto the floor, Lucifer narrowed his eyes as felt the annoyance starting to grow.

 _One more boy and I'll show you something you really won't like_

"Why don't you like fire?"

Hearing his questioned as she watched him remove the cigarette from his lips, Piper shrugged her shoulders as she ate another fry.

"My Dad was a firefighter so I've been told. He died on a call when I was two, I don't remember him" she spoke as the sound of sirens rang out in the distant night.

"The Los Angeles Fire Department…" Lucifer began as Piper shook her head.

"No, the Fire and Emergency Services for the city of Ajax in Ontario."

Feeling his lips part as he angled his head, Lucifer stared at the girl seated before him as he moistened his lips.

"You are a Canadian?"

Nodding her head, Piper folded the wrapper of her sandwich around the leftovers as she sat it aside.

"Yes."

 _I can see that you do not get enough to eat, you're all bones_

"I have to admit my dear Harlow, I feel as though I have met you before" Lucifer purred as she shook her head.

"I only moved to Los Angeles about two weeks ago with my mother and step-father and I think I would remember if I had met you before" she added, catching Lucifer's eye as he took up one of her french fries. Popping it into his mouth, he leaned in close.

"I am that memorable to all who meet me. Are you finished?"

Grabbing the remainder of her sandwich, Piper rose to her feet as Lucifer did the same, straightening his suit jacket.

"How…tall are you?"

Leaving their trays as they walked towards the front door, Piper stepped aside as Lucifer ushered out a hand.

"Ladies first."

"Thanks for leaving your garbage assholes."

 _And that makes three_

Hearing the teenager's mutter from behind him, Lucifer slowly turned around and flashed his red eyes as Matt dropped everything to the floor. Hearing his terrified scream as he smiled widely, Lucifer spun on his heel and let the door slam shut behind him as Piper stood perfectly still on the sidewalk. Staring through the glass window at the teenager, she felt her blood run cold as the boy clutched his head, screaming intensely.

"What happened to him?"

Hearing her panicked question, Lucifer shoved his hands into his pant pockets as she half jogged to keep with his lengthy stride.

"Nothing he didn't bring upon himself" he muttered as he felt Piper bumping into his arm.

"Do I have to walk all the way home?"

"You ask too many questions urchin. No, I will take you home this time."

Letting out a deep breath, Piper smiled to herself as she spied the Corvette. Rounding the bumper to the passenger door, she waited for him to open his own door as a sense of permission to enter.

"Thank you for dinner by the way. My mother and step-father probably saved me nothing if she bothered to cook."

"I've made deals with undesirables and down on their luck ladies and gents in more disgusting of places" Lucifer spoke as he turned over the engine to the vintage Corvette.

"Are you a drug dealer?"

"Wrong again" he smiled as he glanced over before blindly pulled into the evening traffic.

"I live at…"

"You still owe me an answer to a question Ms. Harlow."

Fixing her eyes on his stubbled profile, Piper listened to the passing Los Angeles downtown traffic as she furrowed her brow.

"What question is that?"

Tucking his chin into his chest as he slowed down for a red light, he turned and caught her eyes in the dark as a low whistle sounded off near the car.

"Nice ride."

"What is it that you truly desire Piper Harlow?"

Shifting her eyes onto the red light, she silently wished it would change just as quick as it had appeared, but to no avail as she heard the purr in Lucifer's voice.

"I don't know what I desire, because I don't see anything after my eighteen birthday."

…

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

 _10:34pm_

Swiveling her head around as she took in the familiar darkness of her neighborhood, Piper scoffed as she twisted around and stared at the passing bungalow houses all framed by fenced in yards and thick bars over the windows.

"I…didn't tell you where I live" she breathed as Lucifer pulled the Corvette over to the side of the curb directly in front of her house.

"I guessed."

 _You guessed?_

"Um, thanks again for not calling the police on me" she spoke, holding her hand out as Lucifer stared at her fingers.

"I find children such taxing burdens, but for you, I'm willing to make an exception" he replied, enveloping her hand in his as he squeezed hard.

 _I will remember who you are Piper Harlow, and it may not be pretty when I do_

Keeping his eyes trained on her back as she disappeared inside the house, Lucifer caught sight of the living room curtain moving as he pulled away from the curb.

"I hope you are either getting some cash or good grades out of whatever it is you are doing to keep you out so late with that truant officer."

Hearing her step-father's mutter as she walked by the living room, Piper rolled her eyes as she tightly clutched the leftover half of her chicken sandwich.

 _Jesus, now he's accusing me of sleeping with my teachers_

"Is my mother here?" she questioned with a hard tone as she noticed the Johnny Walker bottle on the table.

"Does it look like she's here? he burped, changing the channel on the television from one basket ball game to another.

 _Piece of shit_

"Obviously not" Piper sneered as Jim narrowed his eyes.

"Watch your mouth kid, or you'll find yourself out on the street no matter what your mother says" he spat, catching the young teenager rolling her eyes as she balled her fists.

"I suppose there's nothing left over for dinner?"

"I ate everything."

 _Asshole_

Slamming her bedroom door, Piper grabbed her desk chair and pushed it on an angle against the carpeted floor board and the round doorknob before she stripped off her clothing. Pulling on a clean navy tank top and black yoga pants, she frowned as she spotted a hole in the right knee.

"Don't even have any money to get a new pair of pants" she muttered before she closed the curtain to her window. Grabbing the headphones off her bedside table, she pushed the buds into her ears as the voice of Nina Simone began to sing…

 _I know why my mother  
Taught me to be true  
She meant me for someone  
Exactly like you_

 _I know why I've waited  
Know why I've been blue  
I pray each night for someone  
Exactly like you_

Tucking herself under the sheets, Piper unwrapped the rest of her sandwich and couldn't help but think back to her hours with Lucifer Morningstar.

"Lucifer, just like the Devil" she whispered as she took a small bite.

"He plays it off so carelessly like he thinks he is the Devil" she spoke again as she finished the rest of her sandwich. Tossing aside the wrapper, she settled down in the sheets as she switched off her light.

"Tomorrow, I've got to look at the rules for emancipation in California."

Closing her eyes as Nina sang her to sleep, she felt her lips pulling into a small smile as she drifted off to the image of Lucifer seated across from her with a smile.

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to Brookeworm3 and BigKahuna for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. I'd love some more reviews! Hint hint wink wink….**

 **P.P.P.S. Next chapter, Lucifer finds out some very interesting information about Piper!**

 *****THIS STORY IS NOT GOING TO BE ALL SUNSHINE AND ROSES!"""**


	7. Chapter 6

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 6**

 **Song(s): Hey Little Girl (Icehouse), Rifles (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)**

 _Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

 _11:23pm_

Drumming his fingers along the wheel of the Corvette, Lucifer Morningstar tucked his chin into his chest as his ears picked up the deep thumping of music from the businesses and restaurants on Hollywood Blvd.

Approaching his own nightclub, he felt his lips pulling into a small smile as he slowed down, passing the long line of men and women vying for entrance past his front doors.

"Before, it used to be all about what the person was willing to give up, now, it's a flat cover charge" he moaned as he angled the Corvette into the mouth of the alleyway. Pushing his door open, he stepped out and as he straightened the lapels of his suit jacket, his eyes caught the faint spray paint of the word devil.

Hearing the shuffling of shoes approaching his left, Lucifer absentmindedly tossed his keys into the air as Vincent wiped the late-night California sweat from his forehead.

"Sorry Mr. Morningstar" he mumbled as the tall dark-haired man stepped aside.

 _It's the same every night_

 _Toss the keys_

 _Play for the human souls_

 _And hope for a bite_

Making his way towards the front doors of the club, his ears picked up distorted fragments of conversation from those that would never get in tonight, or any other night…

" _There he is…"_

" _God, he is just…"_

" _I'd fuck him"_

" _They say he makes deals…just like the Devil…"_

"Good evening Mr. Morningstar."

Stepping past the heavy-set bouncer guarding the front door to his own personal playground, Lucifer halted in his steps as he felt a familiar pair of eyes lingering on his turned back.

"Angelic eyes" he whispered as he caught the wide-eyed stares of a few hopeful women.

 _Embrace all your desires boys and girls_

Stepping into the club, he savored the cold air against his face as he strode past a few regulars.

"Helllloooo Lucifer."

Nodding his head as one of the Britney's stepped forward with an arm outstretched, Lucifer easily caught her hand and felt the warmness of her fingers as she trailed her other hand along his collar and up towards his neck.

"Nice kitty, I've got to change before anything else" he purred as he moved down the hallway towards the private elevator. Entering his own personal code, the dark-haired man hummed as he raised his arm and took a quick sniff of his jacket.

"Oh, that is just fowl!"

Stripping the expensive blazer off his shoulders, he balled it up between his hands as the door to the elevator slowly opened onto his dark living room.

"Yves Saint Laurent, you would roll over in your grave" he muttered as he walked across the dark floor, his eye catching the back light of the mounted bar and assortment of alcohol bottles and stemware.

Tossing the blazer onto the dark marble tiles of his bathroom floor, Lucifer had just started to unbutton his dress shirt when he caught the light scent of fragrance.

"God Lucifer, what is that smell?"

Pulling at the sleeves of his dress shirt, he tossed it with equal force onto the bathroom floor as he turned to face his most trusted and loyal follower.

"American faaaast food" he dragged out, placing a hard emphasis on the letter F as he caught Maze's lingering eye on his torso.

"I'm surprised you are back here so late, there have been a few asking for you, but nothing you would be interested in" she spoke, leaning against the carved stone wall as the Devil selected a new black dress shirt, crisply ironed to perfection.

"The housekeeper quit today."

 _Just perfect_

"Good help is so hard to find these days" he muttered as he reached for another black blazer.

"Hello Gianni" he smiled, as Maze rolled her eyes.

"You definitely are the poster boy for lust" she spoke, catching her words as Lucifer turned his back.

"Remind me again to thank John and Gregory for all seven deadly sins if we ever return for a visit" he smirked.

Moving her dark eyes quickly off the deep scars of puckered tissue skin that ran a good length down his back, she remembered his screams of agony from the day he had told her to cut off his angelic white wings. Feeling a shiver running down her back, Maze winced as she heard a loud thud from the balcony. Catching sight of a grey pair of wings folding closed, the demon rolled her eyes as Lucifer straightened the lapels of his jacket.

"Your brother is here" she growled, turning sharply on her high heel. Spying the broad dark shoulders of Amenadiel as the Angel stared out over the city lights of Los Angeles, she couldn't help herself as she detoured in his direction.

"Hello Angel."

Tightening his grip around the balcony rail, Amenadiel groaned as he felt Maze's arm graze his.

"Are you not getting a little tired of pouring beer night after night Demon?" he questioned as Maze chuckled.

"While I do miss Hell, I am enjoying the local nightlife and what it has to offer" she flirted, hearing Lucifer's steps at the doorway.

"Right, now Maze I'm sure you can find yourself someone else who is more receptive to your charms?" he purred, shoving his hands in his pant pockets as he leaned lightly against the door frame.

"You're probably right." Dragging a single finger down the length of the Angel's bare arm, she gave a slow wink before gliding effortless across the hardwood floor towards the elevator.

"Now that the distraction is gone, what can I do for you brother?" Lucifer questioned as Amenadiel folded his arms across his chest.

"I was surprised to see you paying attention to a human, when you clearly state that you despise children."

Clearing his throat as he moved towards the well-stocked bar, Lucifer poured himself a scotch on the rocks before tilting the bottle up.

"You know I don't drink."

"Anytime is a good time to start" he smiled, taking a small sip.

"You didn't report the girl to the authorities after she defaced your business. You even took the time to make sure she had eaten after springing her from her classes…"

Taking another sip of his scotch, Lucifer pursed his lips as he walked slowly across the floor.

"My my…someone has been busy prying into my everyday activities" the Devil sneered as he felt his anger growing.

"Over the last few days, you, Lucifer Morningstar, have chosen to spend time willingly with a human."

"What can I say? I am an equal opportunity employer" he smiled, downing the rest of his drink as he sat his glass down on top of the Steinway.

"This isn't funny Luci, you've been here on this Earth away from Hell for nearly five years, and besides your failed relationship with Chloe Decker, you have not shown interest in anyone" the Angel spoke, perking his ears up as car horns blasted from the traffic below.

 _The Detective_

"That's a low blow brother. And the urchin interests me" he gruffed. It was all he said as Amenadiel folded his hands together in prayer.

"Why?"

"What do you know Amenadiel? All the questions, all the concern, have I met her before?" Lucifer questioned as he set a hard eye on his brother.

"That, you will have to figure out for yourself Luci. But I will leave you with this…remember that if you interfere in the life of a human, you will be connected until the time arrives for the human to choose."

Holding his breath as the dark Angel quickly spread his wings with a loud bang, Lucifer stepped up to the edge of the balcony and watched the fading form of his brother disappearing up into the night's sky.

"So, I must know her" he whispered, staring down at the traffic lights.

"And tonight, is as good a night as any to get some answers."

…

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

"No…..no…..it's too smoky."

Kicking the white comforter off her legs and onto the floor, Piper breathed deeply as she turned her head with a whimper.

 _Why is mommy not calling for me anymore?_

 _Why is there so much smoke?_

 _Spying a pair of black dress shoes walking down the carpeted hall, she threw a hand against her mouth as they stopped right outside her bedroom door._

 _Did he hurt mommy?_

 _Hearing her father's scream as the shoes began walking once more, she inched backwards, pushing her blanket in front of her face._

 _Maybe he won't see me_

 _Peeking around her quilted best friend, she felt the tears falling from her stinging eyes as the shoes stood inches from her fingers._

 _My eyes hurt…_

" **JESUS!"**

Throwing her eyes open, the young fourteen-year-old scrambled up from her mattress and bit her tongue hard as she wacked her wrist off the wall behind her. Closing her eyes tightly as she felt the pain radiating through her wrist, Piper swore under her breath as she heard the vibration of her cell phone.

"Lucifer?"

Shaking her head as she realized what she had just said, she reached for the charging wire and frowned at the text message from an unknown number.

 _Who is this?_

Waiting for a response to her text, Piper rose to her feet and kicked aside the comforter as she noticed her desk chair still wedged under the door handle.

"Good."

Hearing another vibration, she turned and snatched the phone off the bed as she felt slight disappointment.

 _It's Andrea, you awake?_

"Why was I hoping it was Lucifer Morningstar?" she whispered, thumbing a response.

 _I wouldn't mind getting out of the house_

Stripping off her yoga pants and tank top, she grabbed her last clean pair of blue jeans and slipped on a cream-colored t-shirt before grabbing her ballet flats.

 _We've got Dylan's mom's car if you want to come out?_

Feeling the smile crossing her lips as she dug around her sock drawer, she found the last three five-dollar bills that she had taken from her mother's purse over the course of two weeks and shoved them deep in her pocket before taking up her lip balm and phone. Sliding up her window, she heard the distant rumble of thunder before she ducked back inside for her jacket.

 _I'll meet you in the school parking lot_

…

 _Huntington Park High School, 6020 Miles Ave, Los Angeles, California…_

 _1:34am_

Feeling a single rain drop on her forehead, Piper sighed as she shoved her hands into her jacket pockets.

"Come on…come on…."

Spying a pair of headlights rounding the corner of the school, she quickly stood to her feet as her eyes caught a flash of lightening in the sky above the trees.

" _Lightening is when the bowling ball strikes the pins when the Angels play"_

Feeling her mouth falling open as the unfamiliar female voice spoke in her head, Piper stared at the sky as she blinked.

"Piper? You getting in?"

Rolling her window down as she slammed her door shut, she closed her eyes and breathed in the wet smell of the rain.

"God, I love this smell. It smells like death and decay…"

"Decay?"

Opening her eyes as she heard Andrea's voice, Piper shook her head as she watched her friend turning around in the front passenger seat.

"Just the smell of the rain. It smells like decaying lilacs" she whispered, catching Dylan's eye in the review mirror.

"We are thinking of heading up to the Hollywood sign. You ever been?"

Breathing through pursed lips as she caught sight of Jacob passing a can of beer upfront, Piper rolled her eyes as she looked back out of her window.

"Do you smell smoke?"

"My mom smokes Virginia Slims if that's what your smelling?" Dylan offered as Piper rolled her window down all the way. Tilting her head as she felt the falling rain against her face, she breathed in deeply as she suddenly realized what street they were on.

"We are on Hollywood Blvd?"

"Quickest way to the hills" Dylan coughed as Piper quickly released her seatbelt. Leaning forward as she spied the red lettered H&M sign, she threw herself against Jacob's lap as the three-letter's spelling out _LUX_ flashed by.

" **OW, DAMN IT! YOUR ELBOW IS SQUISHING MY BALLS!"**

Feeling Jacob roughly pushing her away, Piper balled her hands into fists as Dylan slammed on the breaks.

" **WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"**

Shaking her head as she turned around in a last-ditch attempt to look at the LUX nightclub, Piper heard Andrea's shout as she caught her eye.

"So, you weren't in class all afternoon after we saw the owner of LUX outside the school" she rang off, twisting around once more in her seat. "Did you go off with him?"

 _You are the second person to suggest something sexual_

"He had me spend the afternoon scrubbing at graffiti. He still wants all three of your names by the way" Piper added as Andrea shook her head.

"He'd probably call the cops on us, even if he didn't call them on you" she noted, hearing Dylan's cough as he turned on the car's signal and wheeled a sharp right.

"From the look of his skinny frame, I could snap him in half if he thinks he can threaten my football scholarship" he spoke, making another turn as the vehicle began to climb a hill.

 _You may have the physical weight, but Lucifer has the height and something…else._

"We are almost there."

 _Brutality_

 _That's what else he has, but….how?_

"How many beers do you have left Jake?"

Pushing open her door, Piper felt the bottom of her flats sinking slightly into the soft ground as she followed her friends up the hill.

"You want one?"

Shaking her head at the can of beer that was offered, Piper raised her eyes to the starless sky above and almost wished that she had not come out. Hearing another rumble of thunder, she felt Dylan's arm bump hers as she zipped up her jacket.

"It's going to downpour."

"I have an umbrella in the car in case that happens" he spoke, sending a shiver across her shoulders as she spied a large white H.

 _When are you going to get it through your thick skull that I have no interest in you?_

Climbing over the protective fence, she was about to turn on the torch of her cell when Andrea hissed.

"No lights! I'm sure there are security guards or drones waiting to catch a flashlight."

Descending the steep hillside as carefully as she could, she knew her flats would be destined for the trash can as she watched Jacob roll out a blanket from his backpack. Crossing her legs as she shook her head a second time at the offering of beer, she grinned as she thought of her nearly seven hundred dollar shot of alcohol earlier in the day.

"We should get a killer view of the storm once it settles over the city" Andrea spoke, feeling Jacob's hand travelling along her back as she leaned in for a kiss.

"I love storms."

Shifting her gaze onto Andrea and Jacob, she groaned as she watched their heavy lip lock before feeling fingers inching along her hand.

…

 _6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

Hearing the rumble of thunder as he clicked open his stainless-steel lighter before snapping it closed, the dark-haired man continued to repeat the action even as Maze came to stand before him in an irritated mood.

"The Britney's have left, so I hope you'll have fun sleeping alone tonight" the Demon spat as she cocked a curious eye at her Boss.

 _What is wrong with him?_

"Lucifer… **LUCIFER!** "

Blinking his eyes slowly as Maze snapped her fingers inches from his face, he looked up into her face and tossed aside his lighter.

"It seems Amenadiel has a shared interest in our little fourteen-year-old human being" he spoke, rising to his feet before halting at the opening of the balcony. Taking in a deep breath of the rainy air, he felt Maze at his side as she crossed her arms over her chest.

" _Your_ little human being, not mine" she stressed, remembering back to the girl outsmarting her with the garnish cherries at the bar. "Are you thinking of keeping her as a pet?"

Tucking his chin into his chest as the rain drops started to fall with more force, he stepped back slightly, desiring a cigarette as he moved for his lighter.

"I know I have met her before, somewhere, and I like to think I have a pretty decent memory" he began, seeing a flashback of Eve staring greedily at the apple between his fingers.

"Perhaps she is a re-incarnation? An old soul…" Maze offered as Lucifer shook his head almost immediately.

"No, she is a fresh one."

"A fresh soul that can ignore your gift of questioning? That would require Divinity."

Sucking deeply on the cigarette that hung from his lips, Lucifer Morningstar mumbled something unintelligible as Maze suddenly smiled.

"Why not bring her to me? See if I can loosen her tongue and drop her secret..." she grinned as the Devil nearly dropped his cigarette.

"What's wrong?"

Squinting his eyes as he felt his mouth falling open, he quickly turned his head and swore under his breath.

"The human, is calling my name as we speak."

…

 _2:56am_

"You're lucky I am a nice guy and am not leaving you on that hill" Dylan growled as he sniffed quickly, pulling the Kleenex away from his nose as he spied the wet blood.

 _You had your hands all over me asshole_

Taking a hard right as he sped through the stop light, Dylan tossed the bloody Kleenex onto the floor before pulling into the parking lot of the high school.

"This wasn't how I thought the night would end" he spoke once more as Piper reefed on the door handle, feeling her anger boiling as it refused to open.

"Funny, this is exactly how _I_ thought it would end. What the fuck don't you understand that I have no interest in you?" she spat, hearing the deep snores of Andrea and Jacob huddled together in the backseat.

"Then why do you keep coming along?"

Hearing his challenge as she slammed her fist against the window, she slammed it again as he unbuckled his seat belt.

"So, help me God, I'll break this fucking window if you don't unlock the door!" she spat, feeling Dylan's hand against her hair.

Throwing her arm out against his face, Piper gasped as she felt her body falling out of the car before being dragged to the middle of the wet student parking lot. Throwing her eyes open as she caught the back of a tall individual leaning into the car, she pushed her wet bangs out of her face as her mouth fell open.

 _What the hell is he doing here?_

"I've got a special little place in my Kingdom for pubescent jocks who try to assault children" the man growled as he easily hauled Dylan up and out of the car with one hand. Letting his feet dangle as he choked out a few words, Lucifer let him fall awkwardly in front of his feet as he turned to Piper.

"And you….how were you calling me earlier tonight?"

Feeling her eyes growing wide as Lucifer began to slowly stalk towards her, she barely had time to choke out a response as he brought his arm up and delivered a solid elbow into Dylan's stomach.

"I said…how are you calling me Piper Harlow if that is your real name human" he growled as Dylan stood on shaky feet.

" **HEY ASSHOLE!"**

Spinning sharply on his heel, Lucifer closed his fingers fast around Dylan's neck as he stared into his eyes.

"Now onto you, tell the Devil what it is that you truly desire" he hissed, letting slight pressure off the teenager's neck. Watching Dylan's eyes settle on the young girl over his shoulder, Lucifer stepped aside as the boy took a throwing stance.

"I want to be the best football player in history. I want fame, I want money, I want it all" he breathed with greed, pretending to throw a ball with his right hand across the lot.

Watching Lucifer's lips spreading into a small grin, Piper swallowed hard as she remembered his questioning of the school secretary and the truancy officer.

"Not in this lifetime I'm afraid"

Hearing the boy's screams, she watched with interested and terrified eyes as Lucifer twisted Dylan's wrist to a painful angle. Watching him fall onto his knees in the dirty puddle, she couldn't take her eyes off of the pleasurable smile across Lucifer's lips as he dislocated each and every one of Dylan's fingers before shoving him clear out of his path a good fifteen feet in distance.

 _He's a fucking psychopath!_

Scrambling to her feet, she could see the grass of the lawn that connected to the front of the school and the main road just as she slammed into something incredibly hard. Cracking her head off the concrete of the ground, she opened her blurry eyes inches from Lucifer's.

"You and I are going to do some soul searching" he smiled, flashing his eyes a quick red as Piper felt herself slipping into the complete darkness of unconsciousness.

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to Brookeworm3, Elina, and Verdena for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. I'd love some more reviews! Hint hint wink wink….**

… **.**

 _Verdena: Thank you so much for your review! I love Maze, after Lucifer she is my favorite. Chloe will be in the story, but won't be such a major character._

 _Elina: Thank you for the kind words!_

 _Brookeworm3: I love adding songs to my chapters. I write to music and love to include songs that seem to capture the mood I am trying to get across._


	8. Chapter 7

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 7**

 **Song(s): Devil Do (Holly Golightly), Fascination Street (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix – The Cure)**

 _6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

Rolling her head against the soft pillow, the young girl muttered as she reached a hand out towards the bedside table, slapping her palm into the thin air.

"Godddd….my head."

Rolling over onto her stomach, Piper reached once more for her table and felt nothing. Moaning as she opened her eyes, her blurry vision quickly vanished as she lifted her head, wincing at the sharpness of pain.

 _This is not my room_

Sitting up slowly as she felt the light white sheet slipping off her bare shoulder, she looked down to her chest and clutched the sheet hard between her fingers.

"No…no no no…where the fuck am I?"

 _Why am I naked?_

Throwing her eyes around the plain white bedroom, she spied nothing that would give her a clue as to her whereabouts as she pulled the sheet around her body.

"Last night…last night…I met Andrea, Jacob, and Dylan…"

 _Dylan_

 _He was screaming in the parking lot_

 _At Lucifer Morningstar's feet_

Feeling the floor boards beneath her bare feet, she padded towards the window and as she peeked around the double white blind, she froze.

"No….way…"

Making her way towards the closed bedroom door, she reached for the handle and felt her blood run cold as she spied no knob.

"You've got to be kidding me. **HEY!** " Slamming her hand hard against the door, she listened for any sound and cursed venomently as she spied a dark rolled up bundle on top of a white painted dresser across the room. Tucking the white bedsheet firmly under her arms, Piper moved towards the bundle and laid light fingers against the knot. Pulling at the string, she unfastened the knot and quickly unrolled the contents as she bit down hard on her tongue.

 _Knives_

"He's going to kill me."

 _ **HE'S GOING TO KILL ME!**_

Tasting a hint of blood as she started to shake with a mixture of rage and terror, she ran her thumbnail along an intricately detailed carving along the handle of a dagger as she heard low voices heading towards the door. Ripping one of the knives from the cloth bundle, she whirled around and threw herself back onto the mattress, closing her eyes as she tucked the blade beneath her naked thigh. Feeling her pulse racing as she listened to the approaching footsteps, she tasted the blood from her tongue against the back of her throat as the bedroom door was thrown open.

Breathing in and out as steady as she could, Piper kept her eyes closed as she heard a low animalistic growl, followed by sniffing as the footsteps walked across the room towards the dresser.

 _I didn't wrap the roll back up…_

Hearing a single fingernail tapping against the wooden top of the dresser, she refused to open her eyes as Maze dragged her claws deep into the wood, peeling up the white paint.

"Don't think I won't search you for it" she growled, snapping her teeth together loudly as Piper felt her fingers tightening around the handle of the blade.

Hearing another set of footsteps approaching the room, she remained as still as she could, hearing what sounded like the feet of a chair settling on the floor.

"You can't fool me Piper Harlow, I know you are awake" Lucifer sang as he watched Maze's fingers gesturing toward her open knife roll.

"Please don't kill me."

Hearing the young girl's whisper as she remained still, Lucifer smiled before letting out a small laugh.

"Now, why on Earth would I want to kill you? When I want to learn all about you?" he questioned, leaning forward on the wooden chair.

Opening her eyes as she pushed herself up against the headboard, she kept the knife under her thigh as she clutched the sheet against her chest.

"One, where the hell are my clothes?" she spat, watching Lucifer's eyes as he looked to Maze.

"You have Mazikeen to thank for that. We couldn't very well host you for the evening in soggy clothing covered in dirt and blood" he offered as he gestured behind him.

"Clean and pressed."

 _Last night_

"I remember, being with my friends last night. We went to the Hollywood sign and then, the school parking lot…" she trailed off remembering Andrea and Jacob asleep in the backseat of Dylan's car.

"What happened to Dylan?"

"Dylan, is that the one who tried to put his hands all over you?" he spat, flexing the fingers of his right hand as he remembered hauling the human sack up and off his feet with ease.

"Did you break his hand last night?"

"No. I merely dislocated all the fingers on his scholarship hand" Lucifer offered freely as Piper stared at him, her mouth falling open with disbelief.

"The police will arrest you" she breathed, shooting her eyes to Maze as she flexed her fingers for her missing knife.

"I highly doubt it."

 _How are you so sure?_

"Perhaps you would think of returning Maze's knife? She's very attached to those things."

Hearing Lucifer's words, Piper reached down and pulled out the blade, tossing it lightly onto the edge of the bed as Lucifer took it up between his thumb and forefinger. Handing it over his shoulder to Maze, she watched as she ran her thumbnail along the blade before inserting it back into the cloth.

"Where did you get those kind of knives?"

Tying up the bundle with a sturdy knot, Maze smiled as he tucked them up beneath her arm.

"Hell."

 _Hell?_

 _As in Hell, Michigan?_

Watching Maze leaving the bedroom, Piper crossed her legs beneath the bedsheet and watched as Lucifer rose to his feet.

"Like I said last night, you and I need to have a little chat so, clothe yourself child."

Watching the knob-less white door close as she sat alone in the middle of the bed, Piper tossed aside the sheet and grabbed her clean jeans and top before slipping her jacket on over her shoulder.

 _How do I get out here?_

Taping her fingers on the door, she stood back as Maze scowled into her face.

"Let's go."

Walking slowly down the hallway, Piper scanned her eyes around the open concept room as she noticed the open balcony doors, small pool and fireplace carved in stone.

"Wow."

Smiling as she heard the young girl's amazement, Maze stepped aside as Piper noticed the tall dark wooden shelves lined from floor to ceiling with hardcover books.

 _What I wouldn't give to be able to spend an afternoon here going through all these_

Moving her eyes over the top of a black baby grand piano that was situated in the middle of the floor, she spied a door-less enclave and spotted a king-sized bed draped in black sheets as she heard Mazes throat clear.

"We are going downstairs human."

Averting her eyes as Maze thumbed in a specific code for the elevator, Piper felt her stomach rumbling as she shoved her hands in her jean pockets.

Hearing the soft notes of the piano as they exited the elevator, Piper moved her eyes around for any hint of a kitchen as she was directed to sit at the bar.

"Any requests?" Lucifer questioned as he finished the piece of music beneath his fingers.

"Men are strong, but I saw you lift Dylan up off his feet as if he weighed nothing" she began as the Devil reached for his scotch glass.

"Can I have a drink?"

Feeling his lips pulling into a smile, Lucifer nodded his head as Maze poured a second glass on the rocks. Sliding it across the bar, Piper watched as it stopped directly in front of her.

"Is there anything to eat?"

Sliding over a bowl of martini olives, she didn't hesitate to pick a few off the top as Lucifer came to sit directly beside her at the bar.

"I am quite strong" he spoke, watching her struggle with a sip of scotch as Piper downed two olives.

"You saved my life last night" she confirmed as Maze snorted.

"I want you to tell me what you deeply desire Ms. Harlow, and please, don't leave anything out on my account" he purred, staring into her eyes as Piper flushed.

 _Your eyes flashed red last night_

"If you're asking me what I want to be when I grow up, I have no idea. I'm just trying to navigate my way through how to get a legal emancipation from my mother and step-father."

Squinting as she refused to bite with his lingering eyes, Lucifer smiled as Piper ate more olives.

"Emancipation at fourteen in the state of California. Though I relish the opportunity for any living soul to begin making their own life altering adult decisions, what kind of job do you think you are going to find to keep yourself alive?" he questioned, watching as she pushed the half empty bowl away.

"I'll figure that out when I know I'll be free" she spat, folding her hands as Lucifer did the same.

"What else did you see last night?"

Hearing his question, Piper felt the tension in her shoulders as she didn't relish the thought of re-hashing the previous night.

"I…won't tell anyone what you did to Dylan if that is what you are worried about" she offered, hearing the man's deep chuckle as Maze leaned her forearms on the bar. "But I guess you're not worried because money can buy silence… and surgery" she added, watching as Lucifer rose to his feet.

 _You don't know who you are_

 _But my dear brother knows…_

 _I'm sure of it_

"You should run home now like a good little girl."

Feeling her mouth falling open as she watched Maze grin, Piper shook her head before tapping her fingers against the marble of the bar.

 _I have fifteen dollars to my name, so the bus it is_

"I don't want to go home" she quickly protested, feeling Lucifer's curious eyes upon her face.

"You _will_ go home, and you _will_ receive your parental punishment for disappearing in the middle of the night."

 _Fuck you Lucifer Morningstar_

Biting her lip as she watched the suited man throw down a few bills, she ignored the money as she roughly shoved her stool away before climbing the staircase and disappearing from sight.

"Did she see your true face last night?"

Hearing Maze's question, Lucifer glanced up towards the ceiling of his club before looking to the dancing hologram against the wall.

"I'm sure whatever she remembers she is chalking up to hitting her head on the concreate. If she was truly terrified Mazikeen, she betrayed no sense of it" he spoke with curiosity as he made his way towards the staircase.

"Maybe she is nothing special Lucifer. Just maybe, your father has nothing to do with her."

 _Father has to do with every human person, and I am sure he spent a little extra time on this one for some reason_

 _I can feel it_

…

Stepping into the quietness of the penthouse, he wasted no time closing his eyes and gently clasping his hands together as he summoned his eldest brother.

Feeling the hard thump radiating through the floorboards as Amenadiel folded his wings, Lucifer smiled as he nodded his head.

"Thank you for not doddling brother" he teased as the angel folded his hands behind his back.

"What can I do for you Luci?"

"Oh yes, what can you do for me. That, child, has given me nothing to work with which means you need to start talking…now."

Feeling his lips parting into a smile, Amenadiel moved his eyes over the books filling the floor to ceiling shelves.

"I'm sure since you found out that Father deliberately put Chloe in your path here on Earth, that you've been thinking the same with Ms. Harlow" he nudged, catching the irritation in his brother's eyes.

Feeling the rage building in his chest as he heard the Detective's name out in the open, Lucifer walked out onto the balcony and looked out over the City of Angels.

"Is that the child's real name?"

 _I'll give you this one brother_

"No."

"Of course not, then who is she?"

Hearing the bang as Amenadiel's wings quickly spread, Lucifer rushed from the railing and tightly gripped his hand around his brother's bicep, preventing him from flying away.

"That's not enough for me dear brother" he growled as Amenadiel gave a flick of his left wing, sending his brother sprawling onto the floor of the penthouse.

"Patience is a virtue Lucifer, one that you will struggle the learn the longer you stay out of Hell" he spoke, disappearing off the balcony as Lucifer muttered a curse.

 _She's immune to my questioning, and has nothing to offer me. Why brother, would I even bother with her?_

…

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

 _8:23pm_

Counting the last of her change as she felt the bus slowing down for her stop, the young girl rose to her feet and stepped out into the warm evening six blocks from her house. Holding the rolled-up papers on emancipation in the state of California that she had printed out from the library, she felt her stomach growling as she spied the front door of the house.

 _Chances are, I was reported absent from school_

 _Chances are I am going to get expelled_

"But I don't give a shit." Standing on the front step, she heard the crunch of glass beneath her shoes as she noticed the broken light.

 _I'm going to pack up only what I need from my room, and leave_

 _I'm going to leave_

Pushing open the front door, Piper kept her eyes down on the floor as she heard a clutter from the kitchen.

"You have some fucking nerve coming into this house if you think you still live here…"

Hearing her step-father's voice from behind her as he came striding out of the living room, she had barely opened her mouth to speak before she felt the back of his hand slapping her cheek. Feeling the sting of his ring cutting her skin, she nearly fell backwards before yelling out for her mother.

" **ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS!"**

Screaming at the top of her lungs as she slammed her hand against the doorway of the kitchen, Piper watched as her mother threw down a thick handful of paper bills and envelopes.

"I've tried to do everything I could for you Piper, but having the school calling me today while I was in class…was the last straw. You don't care about anything! You don't care about the struggle we are going through, you just don't get it. You are a spoiled brat and Jim and I have decided that maybe you should act on your emancipation threats, since you seem to know better than any of us on how you want to be raised."

Staring hard into her mother's face, Piper felt her fingers clenching into fists as she felt the rage growing all around her.

"You stand there…and lecture me about being selfish, immature, and spoilt, when your asshole of a husband has just struck your only child?" she breathed, hearing Jimmy's chuckle from her right.

"You should have been hit a long time ago, might have knocked some sense into you before you bothered to join your mother here" he growled, as Piper quickly reached forward and grabbed a half full coffee cup from the table. Whipping it behind her as the scalding hot liquid splashed all over the wall, narrowly missing her step-father, she took off back down the hallway ignoring her bedroom as she ripped open the front door.

 _I am never coming back here_

 _Never!_

…

 _6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

 _10:43pm_

She was exhausted, to say the least.

Pushing through the crowds on the sidewalk, she walked with a determined stride as she reached up and touched her cheek.

 _That asshole_

Roughly pushing past a couple lingering outside the light up doors of H&M, she ignored their curses as she spied the ending of Lux's long line.

 _Why do I even think he would give a shit? He told me to go home, he knew what would be waiting for me_

Feeling the hunger in her stomach, she debated in her head that if Lucifer Morningstar refused to see her, she would steal from one of the food street carts and suffer the consequences if she was arrested.

"It's not like I don't know what they would do."

Hearing the deep beats from the inside of the nightclub spilling out onto the street, Piper continued to walk past the line before she turned towards the double doors.

"Woah there kid, where the hell do you think you are going?"

Feeling strong fingers gripping her upper arm as she shot the man a hard glare, she tried to free herself but felt the man's fingernails digging into her skin.

"I want to see Lucifer."

Hearing the bouncer's laughter as he knocked his clipboard lightly against the side of the door, he kept his hand tight on her arm as he gestured his head towards the long lineup.

Yeah, you and everyone else out here hoping to catch a glance" he spat, giving her a shove.

"Move along now."

Narrowing her eyes as the bouncer stepped aside to allow two stick thin blonde models in through the door, Piper flipped him the finger before turning back around to face him.

"Tell Mr. Morningstar, that Piper Harlow will be waiting for him in the alleyway that she defaced" she spat, walking away down the sidewalk. Walking around the corner, her eyes fell on the still stenciled word _Devil_ as she pressed her back against the wall. Closing her eyes to block out the Blvd lights, she slumped down onto the dirty ground and reached up to her cheek once more.

"As soon as I get the money for the emancipation, I am turning in the papers" she whispered to herself as she rolled her eyes.

 _The papers that I left back at the house_

Looking up at the dark sky as she brought her knees up to her chest, she rested her chin on her arm as she felt the exhaustion starting to take over. Hearing laughter from the mouth of the alley, she brought her eyes up and watched the dark silhouetted outlines of the club goers as they fell over themselves.

"He's not coming" she breathed, feeling lightheaded as she turned and laid on her side, keeping her back against the wall. Closing her eyes as she felt the tears falling down her cheek, she breathed deeply as a distant rumble of thunder sounded from overhead.

 _He's not coming_

Hearing the sound of distant shoes crunching over the dirt of the alleyway, Piper kept her eyes closed as the footsteps halted at her head. Feeling her body being lifted up into strong arms, she rolled her head and allowed her cheek to rest against the expensive fabric of the man's white dress shirt as she smelled light cologne. Hearing the beats of a Cure song growing stronger with each step, she sang in her head the lyrics she knew all too well…

 _Yeah I like you in that  
Like I like you to scream  
But if you open your mouth  
Then I can't be responsible  
For quite what goes in  
Or to care what comes out  
So just pull on your hair  
Just pull on your pout  
And let's move to the beat  
Like we know that it's over  
If you slip going under  
Slip over my shoulder_

"Humans come to me for fame, fortune, favors, and luxuries. Not for protection and security" Lucifer breathed as he held the young girl close against his chest. Carrying her towards his personal elevator, he held her easily with one arm as he punched in 666.

 _You are asking quite a lot from me Piper Harlow, and for that..._

 _I want your soul_

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to Brookeworm3, GlassfullofWater, and Elina for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. I'd love some more reviews! Hint hint wink wink….**


	9. Chapter 8

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 8**

 **Song(s): Devil's Playground (Gram Rabbit), Slipping Away (Acid Test)**

 _6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

Rolling over onto her back, Piper slowly opened her eyes and stared at the white painted ceiling. Turning her head towards the right, she spied the window before turning to the left to spy the dresser. Sitting up, she swung her jeaned legs off the white comforter and sat on the edge of the bed as she moved her eyes towards the closed door, catching sight of the door handle.

 _That's promising I guess_

Rising to her feet, she gathered her hair up from off her neck with the black elastic band around her wrist and strode over to the door.

 _He brought me in last night_

Touching the handle, she twisted it slowly and pulled the door open as the scent of coffee flooded her senses. Making her way down the hallway, her ears picked up the low volume of a jazz piece as she rounded the corner, finding herself standing in the large open room sectioned off into a bar, a library, and a makeshift living room. Hearing a throat clear from the bench of the piano situated in the middle of the room, Piper shifted her weight from foot to foot as the desire for coffee became overwhelming.

"There is coffee in the french press if you drink it" Lucifer spoke, taping the white and black keys as Piper scanned her eyes over the counter island as she noticed two large olive wooden bowls of beautiful red delicious apples.

"That's a lot of apples" she muttered, hearing the piano notes fade as Lucifer rose to his feet. Rounding the corner of the island as he held his glass coffee cup, he took a deep sip before opening his mouth to speak.

"A personal reminder of a win" he smiled, watching as she hoovered her hand over the bowls.

"Would you like one?"

Hearing his offer, she reached out and selected a single apple. Watching her bringing it up to her lips, he smiled as she took a bite.

"Good?"

"Delicious."

 _Adam was too scared to take the apple from my hand. Eve on the other hand, that wonderous, wide eyed curious vixen, ate without hesitation._

 _Just like you_

Watching her set the fruit down to pour a cup of coffee, he let her have a sip before moving towards her. Reaching out, he watched as she stilled with the touch of his fingers as he examined the dirty cut along her cheek. Narrowing his eyes as he watched her flinch, Lucifer felt the growl deep in his throat as he steadied her eyes.

"Who did this to you?"

Hearing the venom in his question, Piper moved her head roughly away from his fingers as she took up her coffee and apple. Walking towards the seating area, she passed the cream-colored sofas before coming to stand at the threshold of the balcony. Feeling the warm breeze of the mid-morning Los Angeles air on her face, she sipped at her coffee as she heard his footsteps drawing close.

"Don't you remember Mr. Morningstar? You sent me home to receive my parental punishment" she spat, taking a large bit of her apple as Lucifer let out a sigh.

"Believe it or not, I am not one for physical punishments. Never have been."

 _I leave that up to my Demons_

"You prefer emotional punishment, right?"

"If it is rightly deserved."

Finishing the last dregs of her cup, Piper turned hard on her heel and marched back to the island, setting her cup and apple core down.

"I am thankful Mr. Morningstar for you taking pity and letting me sleep here for the second night in a row" she began as she watched him refill his cup. Holding her hand out for a shake, she watched as he analyzed her fingers before taking a sip from the rim of his cup.

"Off to school then?"

Realizing that he was not going to shake her hand, she shook her head before pushing her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

"School is the last thing on my mind. Emancipation papers and finding a job is first" she spoke, feeling the eleven dollars and random coins in her pocket

"And hauling your meagre possessions to the Super 8?" Lucifer quipped as Piper bit her tongue.

"I have no reason to _ever_ go back to that shit hole of a house. Why bother?"

 _Good girl_

Watching her walk towards the elevator door, he followed behind, matching her steps as she pressed the button.

 _Why don't I want her to leave?_

Narrowing his eyes on her neck as the door opened, he watched her enter before giving a small wave as the doors closed, descending to the bottom of Lux.

 _See you around Ms. Harlow_

Taking another sip of his coffee, he listened to the silence of the loft as a million ideas and questions raced through his head.

 _Figure it out_

 _Who is she?_

 _What is she to you?_

 _Why are thinking to helping her if she hasn't asked for it?_

 _Would you offer her a deal?_

 _A tailored deal with the Devil?_

Feeling the loud thump of his brother's arrival vibrating through the floor as the glass bottles behind the bar shook, Lucifer moved his eyes onto his celestial brother as he walked towards the sofa. Taking a heavy seat as he leaned back, his dark eyes fell upon his brother's face as Amenadiel folded his hands behind his back.

"Good morning brother."

"There's no breakfast if that's what you're here for" Lucifer spoke, watching his brother folding back his grey wings with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Father has given us yet another beautiful morning" he sang, looking over his shoulder at the sun and blue sky framing the Los Angeles landscape.

Rolling his eyes as he watched his older brother slowly walking around the room, Lucifer sighed loudly as he brought his arm up to rest along the back of the sofa.

"Luci, you know that Father works in mysterious ways in the lives of _all_ human beings and I am concerned in your interference in young Piper's life."

" _Interference?_ Father would have that child thrown out onto the streets without a further word before he turned onto the next worldly natural disaster."

"You wouldn't be helping her in the end Lucifer if you continue to be present in her life" Amendadiel lectured as the Devil rose to his feet.

" _She_ , is the one that is able to summon me without words. _She_ , is the one that keeps making her way back here for my help. She…is the one that can not tell me what she truly desires. If anything Amendadiel, _Father_ is the one that isn't going to help her!" he spat, grabbing his keys off the counter before walking towards the elevator. Watching the door open, he stepped inside and flashed his eyes red as he watched his brother's wings spread open, causing the elevator lights to flicker.

…

 _Los Angeles Public Library, 630 W 5_ _th_ _St, Los Angeles, California…_

Walking up the stairs towards the main part of the library, Piper breathed in deeply as she felt the cool central air before feeling the rumble of hunger in her stomach.

 _You can take care of yourself Piper_

 _You can lie about your age to get a job_

 _You can go to the soup kitchens for food so you won't starve_

 _You can do this!_

Striding over towards the public computers, she took a seat and logged in as a guest before bringing up the search engine. Typing _emancipation in California_ , she clicked on the first link and scrolled her eyes over the information

 _Emancipation is a legal way for children to become adults before they are 18_

 _If you are emancipated, you will give up the right to be supported by your parent(s)_

"That's totally fine with me" she whispered, scanning her eyes over the third instruction that would apply to her case.

"Get a declaration of emancipation from a judge." Hitting print on the instructions that would tally three sheets at a cost of eighty cents, she clicked her tongue against her cheek as she read the fourth of five requirements to obtain a successful application.

 _You have a legal way to make money_

Bringing up her email in a separate tab, Piper changed the date at the bottom of page two to reflect today before hitting the print button for the final time. She would have fifteen copies of her resume that she would hand out today. Surely, one would bite.

Logging off the computer, she noticed the dried dirt caked on the side of her hand before staring at the state of her fingernails.

 _Maybe I should have asked Lucifer to spare a shower_

"Excuse me, can I have the washroom key?"

Feeling the Librarian's judgmental eyes over the dirt under her fingernails, Piper kept the woman's stare as she heard the key being slid across the counter. Saying nothing as she took the key, she walked to the bathroom in the hallway outside the sliding doors and as she pushed the door open, she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah…you're not curling up in there to sleep or shoot up. Give me the key!"

Spinning around as the Library Security Guard reached for the key in her hand, Piper threw a hand out and knocked the guard straight in the throat as he coughed before slapping the papers out of her hand.

"Hey!"

Feeling the man's strong hand around her arm as he roughly pushed her away from the bathroom, she tried to fight him off as the Guard ripped the key from her hand.

"You have a choice, either get back onto the street, or I call the police" he spat, watching Piper's eyes narrowing in anger.

"Go ahead, call the police. I'm not a street person and you're going to get your ass fired."

…

 _6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

Sitting at the Steinway piano in the empty nightclub, Lucifer Moringstar ignored the exposed keys as he watched his mobile phone set on vibrate, flashing to reveal a third missed message from Chloe Decker.

"Not tonight Detective. I'm taking the evening off" he purred, cracking his knuckles before grazing over the black and white keys.

"Has your little human left?"

Playing slowly as Maze rounded the piano with a drink in her own hand, she watched as her Boss firmly tucked his chin into his dress shirted chest.

"Ms. Harlow has decided emancipation will be her salvation and saving grace" he gruffed, watching the Demon leaning against the piano.

"Sounds like she hates her parents just as much as you do" she smiled, taking a sip of her Scotch as he nodded his head. Ending his piece of music on a low note, the Devil felt his lips twitching as he caught Maze's eye.

"How would you like to get in some much-desired practice Mazikeen? My most loyal of all followers…" Lucifer purred, watching the sudden gleam in her dark eyes.

"Do explain my Lord" she questioned with interest as he sat up straight, grabbing his tumbler and downing the last of its contents into his mouth.

"How about we pay a little visit to a set of parents…"

…

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

 _7:23pm_

Letting out a loud belch as he clicked through the television channels, the heavy set disabled Marine Veteran smirked as he increased the volume as Jerry Springer read off the cue card in his hand.

" _Let's bring him out, here's Mitchell!"_

Snickering as the guy on the television tried to duck as a chair was thrown in his direction, Jimmy grabbed the last can of beer and checked the time on the clock on the wall as he counted one hour left before his wife would be home.

"Plenty of time to pack up the kid's shit and haul it to the curb" he muttered, ignoring the soft knocking at the front door as he brought the beer can up to his lips. Breathing heavily as the beer can fell from his hand, Jimmy felt the force of pressure against his chest and skull as the front door to the house was blown twenty feet inside.

"When someone knocks on the door Jimmy… **YOU BLOODY WELL ANSWER IT!** " Lucifer spat, narrowing his eyes as he easily stepped over the broken pieces of the wooden frame with his hands behind his suit blazered back.

" **WHO…WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!"** Jimmy screamed as he slipped off the sofa and onto the floorboards, staring with wide eyes at the tall suited man as he slowly stalked towards the fallen Veteran.

" _And you want to confront her, well let's bring her out, here's Shawna!"_

Moving his eyes onto the sideways flat screen television that threatened to fall onto the floor from the force of the blown apart door, Lucifer smiled as he gave a silent nod of his head towards the aging host.

"Best job I ever offered him" he smiled, turning back towards Jimmy.

"Get out of my house…"

Hearing the man's nervous words as Lucifer leaned close, he took a deep sniff as he smelt the stale and fresh mixture of beer. Grabbing the man's left hand with lightening speed and bone crunching strength, he ignored the screams of pain as he spied the dried blood on the man's wedding ring.

"Now how about that Jimmy" he growled, flashing his eyes red as Maze stepped in through the door.

"You...you're her teacher aren't you? You're the one with the Corvette she was out late with?" he spat, watching his insulting words having no effect on the well dressed man.

"Jimmy, I'd like you to meet a very good friend of mine" he smiled, gripping the man's throat as he pulled back the human flesh from his face with a wide smile.

"Leave his measly life to me Lucifer" Maze growled over Jimmy's screaming as she watched the Devil throw the man back against the far wall.

"Oh, I won't kill him Maze, I'll just drive him insane."

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to Verdena, Antimoni, and Brookeworm3 for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. I'd love some more reviews! Hint hint wink wink….**


	10. Chapter 9

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 9**

 **Song(s): To Live and Die In LA (Wang Chung)**

"This is stupid and a waste of police resources" Piper spat as she finished the last of her bottled water, twisting the plastic cap back on.

"Assault is not something to be taken lightly" the uniformed Officer gruffed as he scribbled a few notes in his notepad.

"If a Security Guard working in the library can't take being challenged by a teenage girl, then he is in the wrong profession."

Closing his notepad, the Officer tucked his pen away into his shirt pocket before folding his hands together on top of the table.

"Security or not, one should not have to put up with being assaulted in their profession."

Sitting back in her chair, Piper sighed as stared at the closed door of the interview room.

"So, I am being treated like a criminal then?"

"You're being treated like an underaged teenager of whom we can't get a hold of your parents with the phone number you gave."

 _Because that phone number is bogus_

 _I'm never seeing them again_

 _It's now all about me and my own God damn survival_

"I'd just drive you home to get you out of here and out of my hair, but there are ethics to just dropping someone off in front of a random house."

 _I could call Lucifer…_

 _Would he vouch for me?_

"If I said, I was in the beginning process of getting an emancipation…does that make a difference?"

Sitting back in his chair, the Officer shook his head as Piper shrugged her shoulders.

"Then good luck trying to get a hold of Darlene Harlow and James Starling" she smiled, as the Officer's face went blank.

"Did you say, James Starling?"

…

 _6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

"You'll be pleased to know, that your little human pet is being held at a police station downtown."

Hearing Maze's voice from behind him, Lucifer closed his book and tossed it down onto the glass table before rising to his feet. Lighting a cigarette as he slowly walked out onto the balcony ledge, the dark-haired Devil sucked deeply before watching the smoke curl upwards and into the air.

"What has the little scamp got herself into now I wonder?" he spoke out loud as Maze tapped the blade of her demon steel against the door frame.

"I really don't understand Lucifer why you keep paying her any attention. She's cost you money, defaced the club, and destroyed a good pair of expensive bedsheets with her dirty shoes" she added, hearing Lucifer's chuckle as he flung the butt of his cigarette off the balcony.

"Perhaps she may one day be useful" he whispered, feeling Maze's bare arm against his sleeve as she sighed with boredom.

"Perhaps, we should leave Los Angeles toight, but not to Canada."

 _She is from Canada_

 _Who did I know in Canada?_

 _Now that's a long long list_

Gripping the rail of the balcony as he looked out over the wide span of the city, he thought to almost sit with a pen and notepad and write out every name to every human being that he had provided service to in the northern country, when he felt his lips spreading into a smile.

"Maybe she is with the police because of what we did to that piece of shit step-father of hers? Speaking of which, my good leather jacket still smells of beer" Maze moaned as Lucifer checked the time on his watch.

"Well then, whom better to spring the little bird out of police custody, then the one responsible for the ruined demise of one James Starling?" he smiled, watching Maze's lips turn into a scowl.

"And then what happens with her?"

Striding past the Demon, Lucifer slipped off his blazer before shedding his vest. Pulling the blazer back over his shoulders as he adjusted the cuffs, he caught Maze's eye as she looked puzzled.

"I'm feeling a bit…parental as of late dear Maze."

It was all he said as the Demon slammed the blade of her steel knife down against the carved stone of the bedroom wall, ignoring the pieces that flaked off to her booted feet.

" _You_ want to adopt a human? And what, have her live here?"

Folding down the collar of his blazer around the neck of his white dress shirt, Lucifer remained silent as he walked to the small wall safe. Entering in the digits only known to himself, he removed two large wads of cash noticing the scowl still on Maze's lips.

"You don't approve? And I thought you two girls were starting to grow on each other?"

"What are you going to do? Walk into City Hall and give them cash saying you are now her Guardian?"

Tucking the money into his inner blazer pocket, the Devil narrowed his eyes as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Don't be ridiculous Mazikeen, I also have the American Express credit card."

…

 _Law Offices of Johnson, Eculson, Stein, Ushler, and Stolin, 1061 Wilshire Blvd, LA, Calif…_

"I'm sorry my partner is off on holidays this week Mr. Morningstar, I appreciate you allowing me to sit down with your account on his behalf."

"Yes, well, I've always loved lawyers and I always say, there aren't enough of you ambulance chasers out there" the Devil smiled as the lawyer seated across from him awkwardly cleared his throat.

 _Just think of the money this douchebag brings in to the Firm every month_

 _Just flash a smile_

Flashing his pearly white teeth as he steepled his fingertips, Joshua Eculson studied Lucifer with curious eyes as the man opened his mouth to speak his request.

"I wish to purchase a human."

Feeling the edges of his lips twitching at Lucifer's words, the young Lawyer let out a laugh as he caught the blackness of the man's eyes.

"You…can't just buy a human being Mr. Morningstar" he began, wondering if this was all a test to his ruthless reputation in the courtroom.

"Well I've made it easier on you. I already have one picked out."

 _Jesus Christ, he is actually serious_

Waving his hand to cut Lucifer off, Eculson shifted uncomfortably in his leather chair as he tapped his fingers on a law book.

"Mr. Morningstar, it is against the law to traffic humans, to purchase, sell, exploit…"

"Well this isn't just any human being. There is a very specific fourteen-year-old teenager that…"

Rising quickly to his feet as he felt Lucifer's eyes burning onto his face, the young Lawyer flipped open a policy book and spun it around with his fingers.

"Human trafficking is a Federal Crime until Title 18 of the United States Code. Section 1584 states, Mr. Morningstar, that you cannot buy or sell a person of involuntary servitude…Jesus…"

Narrowing his eyes as the Lawyer spun the hardcover book back around, Lucifer rose to his feet as he felt the tension growing in the boardroom

"Leave _Him_ , out of this."

Blinking in confusion as he sat back down, Eculson folded his hands together as he felt the sweat building along the back of his neck.

"Simple terms. You _cannot_ buy a person, and I cannot sit here and listen to your plan to buy a minor under the age of eighteen."

Adjusting the sleeves of his crisp white dress shirt as he stepped out into the Los Angeles sunshine, Lucifer slipped the shades of his sunglasses down onto the bridge of his nose as he gave a slow look up to the glass windows of the boardroom.

"Then it looks like I have to do my own dirty work, once again" he spoke to himself as he gave a quick look to the sky above.

"I did try to go about all this legally Father."

…

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

Pulling the Corvette up to the curb of the bungalow with the fenced in yard, Lucifer smiled as he spied the yellow police caution tape preventing access through the now missing front door.

Striding along the sidewalk, he moved towards the closed fence and easily tapped it open as he made his way towards the front steps.

" **HEY!** You can't be here!"

"Lucifer Morningstar, Civilian Consultant with the LAPD" he spoke smoothly, producing a laminate before just as quick re-pocketing it.

"I need to speak with the Mother."

Staring up into Lucifer's face that was half blinded by the sunshine, the junior uniformed Officer took a step back and pointed along the side of the house.

"This entrance is a crime scene, you can go in through the back door to the kitchen."

Moving along the side of the house towards the backyard, he picked up on bits of conversation as he passed below the kitchen window. Stepping into the kitchen, he took off his shades and immediately settled his eyes on his intended target.

 _Poor woman._

 _Losing your drunk of a husband_

"I can take it from here Officer, if you don't mind" he spoke, catching the attention of both bodies as the uniformed Officer narrowed his eyes.

"Who are you?"

"Lucifer Morningstar, the truly better half of Detective Chloe Decker" he grinned, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on Darlene.

 _So, you are Ms. Harlow's Mother_

 _I don't see it_

"I've just finished questioning…"

"Yes, well I have my own questions Officer, so if you don't mind" Lucifer snapped, watching the Officer capping his pen before moving towards the living room and the Forensic team.

"Ms. Harlow is it?"

Shaking her head, Darlene moved to the sink and filled up a single glass of water before filling a second. Holding it out, she watched as Lucifer took it between his fingers before setting it on the table.

"I had James's last name. I don't know what other questions you may have, but I need to make some phone calls and find…"

"Piper?"

Freezing as Lucifer spoke her daughter's name, Darlene felt the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she tried to steady her shaky hands.

"Do you know where she is?"

Hearing the pathetic-ness of the woman's concern as he remembered Piper wincing when he touched the cut on her cheek, Lucifer took a step forward and lowered his dark eyes down onto hers.

"I do. And you should know that she has no desire to ever see you again."

Hearing the tinge of a growl in his voice, Darlene, fumbled with taking out the small flip phone in her back pocket as Lucifer snatched it out of her hand. Snapping it in half with ease, he tossed it into the sink basin as Darlene felt her mouth falling open.

"You should know, that not only do _I_ punish evil, I also have a sore spot for those who fail to protect their offspring, allowing them to be subjected to the drunken abuse of a man who was not their Father" he began as Darlene tried to move past.

Throwing his arm out as Darlene tried to cry out, Lucifer caught her gaze and felt his lips quivering with his next words.

"Tell me Darlene, what is it that you truly desire?"

Feeling the pull of his dark eyes as she felt her throat going dry, Darlene leaned heavily against his arm as she spoke.

"To be rid of her. I never should have adopted her. I just knew there was something…wrong with her. Whatever happened to her before I found her, has made her impossible to rear" she sputtered as Lucifer narrowed his eyes in a mixture of confusion and anger.

 _So, she is adopted_

"And now there are saying Jimmy will never speak again" she finished, blinking tiredly as she noticed herself leaning on Lucifer's arm.

"Oh god, no please don't tell Piper that she is adopted. She doesn't know" she sputtered as Lucifer took a step backwards.

Reaching into the pocket of his blazer, he withdrew one of the bundles of money and tossed it into the sink, hearing it crash against the broken pieces of the cell phone.

"Five thousand for you never making _any_ contact with Ms. Harlow from here on out." Reaching back into his pocket, he withdrew the second bundle and upon taking a long smell of the bills, he tossed it onto the kitchen table.

"And another couple of thousand for you to buy the required length of rope you will need to hang yourself, once you realize you will be deported from this country with nothing but the clothes on your back.

…

 _LAPD, Central Community Police Station, 251 East Sixth Street, Los Angeles, Calif…_

Pocketing her mobile phone as she spied three missed phone calls, no doubt from her mother, Piper felt a strong arm bump into hers as the door in front of her was pushed open. Feeling the heat of the sun as soon as she stepped onto the sidewalk, Piper glanced guilty up and onto Lucifer's profile.

"I didn't do anything really wrong except shove that security guard and he deserved it" she began as Lucifer ushered her towards the Corvette.

"Would it be too much to ask you to drop me off at the local youth shelter?"

Slipping his sunglasses down onto the bridge of his nose, the Devil stepped forward to open the passenger side door as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Well, from what I hear, you very well can't go home."

Sitting still in the expensive car, Piper kept her eyes low on the dashboard as Lucifer started the engine.

"Let's go have a little chat, shall we?"

…

 _Starbucks, 7624 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles CA…_

"Right, two caffe americanos with an extra shot" Lucifer smiled as the young cashier felt her mouth falling open.

"Yes, I know I have a way with people falling all over themselves" he grinned, spying a collection of pink vanilla cake pops on sticks in the glass display case.

"And one of those birthday cake pops for my friend here" he added with an even wider smile as Piper narrowed her eyes.

"Again, not a child" she gruffed as Lucifer took the single pop between his fingers.

"So you're not a child, yet you summon me to bail you out of police custody?" he questioned, shoving the pink chocolate coated white sprinkled pop into his mouth as he held out a one-hundred-dollar bill.

"Sir, do you have anything smaller?"

"I don't _do_ small" he growled as Piper noticed the image of Benjamin Franklin.

"She means, she probably can't change a C-note bill from her till. Take out a double sawbuck or a ten-spot or something" she ushered, catching the Devil's wide smile.

"Well done Canada."

Gesturing towards the outdoor palm tree shaded seating area, he watched as Piper collected the drinks before moving towards the glass door. Setting the drinks down on the table, Piper took a heavy seat as she watched the dark-haired man offer a wink to a mother breast feeding her baby beneath a cashmere wrap.

"What do you mean summon?" I didn't call you or anyone for help."

Turning his eyes back onto Piper, Lucifer bit down hard on the cake pop and purred as the sweetness of the vanilla danced along his taste buds.

"You really should have accepted this little treat on a stick" he began as Piper shook her head.

"Like I said, I didn't call you, so how did you know that I was at the police station? _That,_ particular station?"

Narrowing his eyes as he placed a light finger on the rim of his coffee cup, Lucifer cocked his head slightly as she stared at him intently.

"Well that's what I want to know. You seem to even _think_ my name, and I feel the pull, for lack of a better word. No stops along the way, it's a straight line from a to b" he spoke, taking a sip of the strong dark liquid.

"I…have no idea what you are saying. Pull?"

"You said so yourself. You didn't physically call me from a dirty jail communal payphone, and yet, here we are, having coffee."

 _Okay_

 _He won't admit to stalking you_

 _But that is the only possible explanation_

 _Unless…_

"Are you asking me if I have…supernatural powers?"

Even she herself couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth.

"Do you?"

Hearing the serious tone in Lucifer's question, Piper chewed on the inside of her cheek as she steadied her eyes.

"There's no such thing as ghosts or goblins, or banshees. No psychics or mind readers, vampires or werewolves."

"How about divinity?"

"You mean God and religion?"

"Preciously" he grinned, watching her taking a sip of her coffee before removing and tossing aside the white lid.

"I haven't seen or experienced one lick of proof, that God exists" she spat quickly, keeping her eyes firmly trained on his.

"No warm grandfather like figure with a long white beard in sandals? Reading books to children?" he added, catching an irritated scowl crossing her lips.

"How about the Devil?"

 _Why is he asking me all these questions about God?_

Watching the ends of his lips curling into a dark smile to match his eyes, Piper felt the hunger pains growling in her stomach as she cursed herself for not taking the cake pop.

"Maybe as an idea, something to scare the shit out of kids, but not as someone who takes a human shape" she spoke, watching Lucifer smiling widely. "Why are you asking me these kinds of questions?"

Tilting his head as two young women winked in his direction clutching delicious looking venti iced coffee's, Lucifer gave a flick of his wrist as they scowled before turning the opposite direction away from the table.

"Why, for the good of your soul Ms. Harlow."

Lowering her eyes down onto the table, Piper watched as a stream of sunlight crossed along the table reflecting off the band of the gold ring that adorned Lucifer's right hand.

"Fancy it do you?"

"It's…interesting" she replied, staring at the black stone.

 _Why do I feel like I've seen that ring somewhere before?_

"What kind of black stone is that?"

Looking at his ring as he flexed his fingers in the sunlight, Lucifer grinned before reaching into his blazer pocket, taking out his silver Pentecostal coin. Laying it goat face down on the table top, he watched her gaze as she pushed her fingers forward, lightly running her thumb nail along the chiseled dents.

"Something very rare, and with a lot of sentimental value."

"Where did you get it?"

Clearing his throat as he flipped the coin up to reveal the goat, he moved it around in a small circle with his thumb.

"It was given to me…by a very powerful man" he smiled, rousing Piper's interest as she watched him juggle it from palm to palm before opening both to reveal it gone.

 _Someone you wouldn't even believe_

"Um, I don't suppose I could ask you for a few bucks to get something to eat?" she asked, feeling the embarrassment rising into her face.

"Wait here."

Keeping her eyes trained on his back as he disappeared into the coffee shop, Piper closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she felt the sunshine on the back of her neck as the lyrics to a muffled song from a passing car on the street invaded her ears.

 _And I can get away_

 _To live and die in LA_

 _I can get away_

 _To live and die in LA_

 _I can get away…_

"Why am I sitting here with him?"

Feeling a presence at her arm, she opened her eyes to see a variety of plastic wrapped sandwiches and single packets of cookies falling against her hands and onto the tabletop.

"Thanks."

Re-taking his seat across from her, Lucifer laid the palms of his hands back down onto the table as he tapped his fingers, watching her pulling open the plastic wrap to a quinoa black bean burrito.

"How is your emancipation going?"

Swallowing her mouthful of food, Piper blinked quickly as she grabbed a napkin.

"The only thing that might give me a problem is not having an income."

"Or having a place to live, or a decent track record attending school, or having a juvenile record from another country."

Feeling her face growing pale, Piper swore under her breath as she felt a rush of emotions clouding over her mind.

"How do you know I have a juvenile record?"

Finishing the last of his americano, the Devil gestured to his blazer pocket as he thought of his coin.

"You had no problem stealing my coin or defacing the side of my business, thus, you are a hardened criminal."

"Shit…I didn't think of that. I'm not even a real citizen of this country…would they send me back to Canada? I have nothing there…"

Hearing the rush of her panicked words, Lucifer folded his hands together and set his eyes on her face.

 _Now, done to business_

"Ms. Harlow, I would like to offer you my assistance."

Feeling her eyes growing wide at his words, Piper shifted uncomfortably as she ignored her half-eaten sandwich.

"What kind of assistance?"

"I highly doubt your application for an emancipation filed in a country that you are not a resident in will be approved, thus, you would have no choice but to either become a runaway street youth or return to your mother's dwelling…" he began as Piper narrowed her eyes with anger.

"I am never going back to that house Mr. Morningstar. My parents can go fuck themselves."

Hearing her growl as he watched her eyes grow cold, he smiled before leaning forward.

"Oh I believe you, and I fully support your decision not to. My question to you is, how would you like to stay with me?"

 _I don't know anything about you_

 _And why would you offer to help me?_

"How old are you?"

"That's a long story."

 _How could you not know how old you are?_

Pulling out his California driver's license, Lucifer scanned his eyes as he read his fake birthdate.

"Apparently, I am thirty-seven years of age. Funny, I feel a lot older than that" he smiled to himself, catching Piper's confusion.

"Where were you born?"

"That's an even longer story."

 _What the fuck!_

"Okay, no offense, but this is creeping me out. One, why would you want to help a fourteen-year-old? And two, how can you not know how old you are?"

"I find Ms. Harlow, that you and I share more in common than meets the eye, and I am one hundred percent sure that we have met sometime, somewhere, years before."

"Well, I've burned enough bridges that I am on my own private island, so I don't think we have ever met before" she spoke, watching the man seated across from her re-fold his hands.

"I'm offering you a deal Piper Harlow."

"Something I sign on the dotted line?" she questioned, catching his grin.

"I've upgraded from feather and ink to a solid handshake" he replied, watching her thinking over his offer.

"And who would I be if I didn't live up to my name."

 _Your name…_

 _Lucifer_

 _The name of the Devil_

"What do you get out of this?"

Smiling at her question as he watched her extending her right hand out, he gripped her fingers lightly before giving a firmer squeeze.

"Another soul on my side."

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to**

 **for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. I'd love some more reviews! Hint hint wink wink….**


	11. Chapter 10

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 10**

 **Song(s): Shadowboxer (Fiona Apple), The Lupine Waltz (The Real Tuesday Weld)**

 _LUX Nightclub, 6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

Watching the elevator doors open to the lavish and spacious penthouse, Piper Harlow kept her eyes downcast as she felt Lucifer moving past her.

"Right well, let's give you the full tour of your new home, shall we?" Lucifer sang as he gestured towards the large glass bar and shelves filled to the brim with every kind of alcohol any liquor enthusiast could dream of.

"To you, off limits, and not because of your age, but because you don't know how to show the liquid the proper respect that it deserves" he added, pointing to the small kitchenette against the far wall behind the large marble island.

"Coffee is well stock, and we use a French Press in this household" he spoke, catching Piper's eyes scanning for appliances.

"No fridge, stove, microwave?" she questioned, pulling open a drawer to reveal a number of stainless steel corkscrews and bottle openers.

"The main kitchen is downstairs. Hasn't been used in a long while but make use of it as you will" Lucifer offered as Piper nodded her head.

 _I am use to cooking for myself at any hour_

"Through that alcove is my bedroom, but you have no business in there."

 _Right_

"You may have the run of the living room, balcony, hot tub, and my library with all the books you could ever wish to possibly read. Many of them signed first editions" he smiled, throwing out a hand towards a dark doorway down a set of stairs beside one of the large bookshelves.

"Maze's quarters are down that hallway, while your bedroom you have already become familiar with" Lucifer spoke as he moved across the wooden floor, beckoning Piper to follow.

 _This is my home now_

Following behind Lucifer as she recognized the hallway that led to the all-white bedroom she had already slept in twice, she watched as he opened the door and stepped over the threshold.

"Your bedroom, decorate it however you'd like Ms. Harlow."

Opening her mouth to speak, Piper winced as she heard the faint ringing of a mobile phone that was not her own.

"Hello Detective, a fresh body?"

Scoffing as she walked towards the only window in the room that faced down into the alleyway of the building, she looked up to the darkening sky and frowned.

 _Does September in California always have dark stormy looking weather?_

"But of course, Detective, I shall meet you at the scene of the crime in less than twenty minutes."

Turning around as Lucifer ended his phone call and re-pocketed the mobile device, she watched as he folded his hands together over his front.

"Alas, I am needed elsewhere." Walking towards the bedroom door, Lucifer spun around on the heels of his expensive black dress shoes and brought his hands together in a prayer.

"Welcome home."

Hearing the man's footsteps growing quieter as she took a lonely seat on the edge of the pristinely made up bed, Piper folded her hands together before noticing the dirt under her fingernails.

"No wonder he calls me urchin" she muttered, rising to her feet as she realized he had forgotten to show her where the washroom was.

 _Would he have his own washroom?_

Feeling the thrill of adventure as she felt her lips twitching in a grin, Piper stood at the threshold of the bedroom door and listened for any hint of movement.

"Hello?"

Hearing no response, the young teenager started walking down the hallway and as she rounded the corner into the large open concept living room, dining room, library, and kitchenette, she felt a cool breeze whip across her cheek.

 _Central air on the fritz?_

Moving her eyes towards the alcove that held Lucifer's bedroom, Piper walked cautiously as her eyes fell on the intricate carvings that littered the stones.

"Interesting."

Stepping in through the opening, she was surprised to see that the alcove had no door, thus leaving the bedroom open to any prying eyes belonging to guests or visitors.

"Even with Maze living here too, he has no door?" she spoke to herself as she noticed the king-sized bed dressed in all black sheets with a leather base and headboard.

"The bachelor nightclub owner" Piper snorted as she spied a half empty bottle of red wine and two glass tumblers on the bedside table. Noticing a pale pink lip shade along the rim of one of the tumblers as she picked it up between her fingers, she failed to notice the lean female figure leaning against the stone wall of the alcove.

"Tsk tsk little human, what do you think _you_ are doing in here?"

Fumbling with the glass tumbler in her fingers as she nearly dropped it onto the floor boards, Piper plunked it down roughly beside the wine bottle as she threw her eyes onto Maze.

 _Why does she always have a knife in her hand?_

"Um…Lucifer has offered to let me…." she began as Maze whirled the carved blade around effortlessly between her fingers without batting an eyelash.

"Yes, I know. Lucifer Morningstar has offered you the golden ticket of living up here in the penthouse. Oh, the envy of every female and possibly male human in this city" she added, straightening up as she took a step into the room. Looking down to the label of the expensive bottle of red wine on the table, she half thought to put it out of its misery by finishing it all in one long gulp until she caught Piper shoving her hands into her jean pockets.

"So again, I ask, what are you doing in Lucifer's bedroom?"

Taking in a deep breath as she watched Maze tapping the edge of the knife blade against her pursed lips, Piper simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Lucifer didn't show me where the bathroom was, so I figured I could get away with using his own, um, if there is one…" she broke off, lifting her eyes onto a darkened doorway on the other side of the bed.

"I'll show you where _your_ bathroom is."

It was all Maze said as Piper watched her disappear around the corner of the stone wall as she hurried out of the bedroom, keeping her eyes down as she rounded the corner of the black comforter bed.

Following Maze back down the hallway towards her newly appointed bedroom, she nearly collided with the lean demon as she stood back and lifted a hand towards a white painted closed door.

"Your own washroom."

Looking across the hall to her bedroom, Piper furrowed her eyebrows as she realized she had walked past this washroom three times without realizing its existence.

"Really?" Stepping forward, she pulled the door open and flicked on the light as the room lit up with plain white walls.

"How long do you plan on living here?"

Hearing Maze's question as she detected a hint of annoyance, Piper closed the bathroom door and stepped back into her bedroom.

 _I have no idea_

Walking up to the white painted dresser, the young girl pulled open the top drawer and was not surprised to find it empty.

"At least until I can get myself a job and emancipated" she offered as Maze watched her opening the rest of the bureau drawers of which were all empty.

"If you want, I can take you to your house on Hood Avenue if you want to get any of your things?" she offered as Piper shut the dresser drawer.

 _Is there any there that I would possibly want to bring here?_

 _Of course there is idiot, you have no clothes, no school things, no personal items…_

Looking at the time on her phone, she knew her Mother would be at work until at least four and it was one of the few days that Jimmy would be working in the shop and out of the bungalow.

"Can we go now?"

…

 _6724 Hood Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

Staring at the bungalow house sitting inside the fenced in yard from the passenger seat of Maze's black Maserati GranTurismo Sport, she felt her anger growing as she threw open her door. Walking up to the fence, she followed Maze as the all black dressed woman pushed open the gate with such force that it snapped and fell to the grass.

"After you."

Taking out her house key from her jean pocket, her eyes fell on a lingering piece of yellow caution tape as she reached out, taking it between her thumb and forefinger.

"This door has been re-attached to the frame" Piper muttered as Maze gripped the handle.

"Looks like." Twisting the knob as she lightly pushed it inwards, Piper stared at her feet as she noticed the bits of splintered wood on the carpet before her eyes went wide.

 _Jesus Christ! What the fuck happened?_

Avoiding the broken bits of beer bottle glass as she walked into the living room, her eyes moved from the smashed television, to the broken coffee table before taking in the blood splattered on the walls along with a body sized hole in the far back wall.

 _I really outdid myself with this one_ Maze smiled as she observed Piper looking around.

"I'd say take whatever you want, or whatever is valuable to sell if you don't ever plan on coming back here" she shouted, walking down the hallway towards the kitchen.

"Did you kill my Mother James?"

Hearing the words falling out of her mouth as she moved closer towards the dried blood, Piper knelt down and held out a finger as she lingered over the crusted rusty stain.

 _No, not worth it_

Striding down the hallway towards her bedroom, she kept her eyes straight forward as she focused on the closed wooden door at the end of the hall. Pushing it open, she stood at the threshold and scanned her eyes over her unmade bed, the books piled on the floor, and her dresser piled high with clothing she could not remember whether clean or dirty.

Opening her closet, she pulled everything out and tossed it on her bed as she sorted through the pile.

"Nothing here worth keeping" she muttered ignoring her bed as she moved to her collection of books. Vetoing everything except one Edgar Allan Poe and one Margaret Attwood, the young girl sat them aside beside the open door before she turned to tackle her pathetic clothing situation.

 _If I am living with you Mr. Morningstar, will you cover my expenses until I can make it on my own?_

Lightly running her fingertips over the pile of clothing, she picked out the only tops that had no holes, and two pairs of jeans. Tossing them towards the books by the door, she rummaged through the small nightstand before gathering up her bookbag and stuffing everything inside.

Leaving her bedroom door open as she left it for the last time, Piper listened for Maze as she walked into the kitchen,

"There is absolutely no alcohol anywhere in this house" Maze whined as she watched Piper survey the room.

 _Nothing here either_

Staring down at the kitchen table top, her eyes fell on a pen and piece of paper as she debated whether or not she would leave a farewell note for her Mother, until she remembered her standing quietly when James had backhanded her.

"Fuck you Darlene Harlow. I hope you and James both go straight to Hell."

…

 _1933 Magnolia Ave Apt B, Pico-Union, Los Angeles, California…_

Removing his dark sunglasses as he stared up at the canary yellow colonial style house split up into far too many apartment units, Lucifer Morningstar sniffed at the air and felt his stomach rumble with hunger.

"Tamales, tacos, and chimichurri…que huele delicioso" he muttered as he stepped up onto the sidewalk. Hearing the barking of a large dog from the house next door, Lucifer raised his fist up and instead, pressed the small worn looking doorbell.

Hearing loud shouting in Spanish as he took a quick step backwards, Lucifer watched as the door was wretched open to reveal two small children, one clutching a puppy.

"Is your Mother home?" he questioned, watching their young eyes staring without comprehension. Letting out a sigh, the Devil squatted down to their eye level and without batting an eyelash, spoke in perfect Spanish.

"¿Dónde está tu madre hijos?"

"Carla, Migel, aléjate de la puerta!"

Catching sight of a middle-aged woman with black hair and reading glasses, Lucifer slowly rose to his feet as the children turned and ran back inside.

"Maggie Maggie, how good to see you!" he smiled as the Hispanic woman start shaking her head.

"Lucifer Morningstar have you forgotten that I quit working for you?" she spat, watching as the Devil leaned against the doorframe, making sure not to have any part of his body cross the threshold without her permission.

"And my life has never been the same" he smiled, catching the top point of a silver cross peeking out from the top of her t-shirt.

"Has your cross gotten bigger?" he teased, watching the woman's fingers reaching up.

"The cross hasn't, but it seems that your ego certainly has" she replied, catching Lucifer's grunt as he folded his arms across his chest.

"I came here today Maggie, to ask you pretty please, to come back and work for me."

Laughing as she heard her two children arguing in the living room, she waved a hand for him to enter her apartment as Lucifer looked taken aback.

"You would allow the Devil into your humble abode?"

"I am one of the few human beings who know you are Satan, and trust me, this house has been blessed enough times over and has the power to bring you to your knees if you even give me a cold look" she spoke over her shoulder as Lucifer held up his hands in defense.

"Oh, how I've missed our witty banter."

Taking a seat on a reclining lazy boy chair, Lucifer watched as Maggie snapped her fingers in front of a young boy's face as he pulled an earbud out from his ear.

"lleva a tu hermano y a tu hermana arriba, y asegúrate de terminar tu tarea!"

Smiling to himself as he watched the young boy sigh before gathering up his Biology textbook and ipod, Lucifer listened to his retreating footsteps before hearing a door slam from upstairs.

"I left you for a reason Mr. Lucifer" Maggie began as the man in question steepled his fingers together beneath his chin.

"I know I know, because of my love for women and men, and my drinking, and my…"

"You are a solid bachelor Mr. Lucifer, and I was tired of greeting a new face every single morning, afternoon, and evening. That, and all the underwear I would find in the most inappropriate of places" she continued as Lucifer smiled.

"Well, you should be proud of me! I now have someone living with me as we speak. In fact, she just arrived earlier in the day."

"God help the woman you have fooled into taking as a wife or live in girlfriend…or both" Maggie spoke as Lucifer sat up straight.

"Actually, she is a child. Fourteen years of age."

Cocking a single eyebrow, Lucifer waited for her judgement, and immediately felt ridiculous.

 _I know you better than that Maggie Almaraz_

"Legally?"

"Legally per say, the child is in agreeance and so is her Mother."

"Fourteen is not a child Mr. Lucifer, that's a teenager" Maggie corrected as Lucifer rose to his feet.

"I know this child, though how and from where I haven't quite figured out yet. Though, mark my words when I do, it will either be a blessing or a curse" he added, catching Maggie's confusion.

"I will double your salary from previous, your hours would remain the same, I promise you Maze will not leave her Hell steel lying about, and...

I'll throw in coverage for dental?"

…

 _LUX Nightclub, 6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

 _7:19pm_

Exiting out of the elevator as she ran her eyes over the familiar interior of the penthouse, Maggie felt the frown spreading across her lips as she stared at the well-stocked bar against the glass wall.

Moving across the floor towards Lucifer's bedroom, she moved her eyes towards Maze's section of the penthouse and felt a cold breeze across her cheek.

 _The young girl must be on the other side of the penthouse_

Ignoring the bottle of wine and tumblers on the Devil's bedside table, Maggie turned towards the far side of the penthouse and made her way cautiously towards the spare bedroom.

Knocking her fingers lightly against the wooden door, her eyes fell upon a young thin face that had obviously been devoid of adequate nutrition staring up at her from the end of the single bed.

"Good evening Miss Harlow, my name is Maggie, Mr. Morningstar's housekeeper" she introduced, stepping inside the bedroom as she noticed just how bare it was. Watching the young girl sigh as she rose to her feet, Maggie frowned as she noticed the dirt on her jeans.

"Do you not have any belongings?"

Looking back behind her at the bed, Piper stared at her books and meagre pieces of clothing before shrugging her shoulders.

"Not much I wanted to bring with me from that shithole I left" she spat, catching the surprise in Maggie's eyes.

"May I ask how you met Mr. Morningstar?"

Hearing her stomach rumbling with hunger, Maggie shook her head as she turned towards the hallway.

"It sounds like you haven't had anything to eat, I'll make you something for dinner, come"

 _Thirty minutes later…_

Leaving Piper alone in the kitchen on the lower floor of LUX, Maggie pulled out her mobile phone and dialed Lucifer's personal number as she walked into the empty nightclub, leaning against the balcony overlooking the dance floor and staged Steinway piano.

"Please tell me Maze has not been putting up a fight with your return?" the Devil's accented voice broke out over the speaker before any greeting.

"Are you aware Mr. Lucifer that young Piper has no possessions? No proper clothing?" she questioned, hearing a police siren in the background.

"I take it Maze took the young scamp over to that bungalow hell hole for her things? So very nice of her" he added with a smile as Maggie shook her head.

"She needs clothes. She needs personal care items, she is under your care Mr. Morningstar and you must provide for her."

Whistling through his teeth as he squinted at the bent down Detective as she began consolidating with Ella Lopez, Lucifer took his keys out of his pocket and twirled them around his thumb.

"A roof over her head is a good start" he challenged, nodded his head as Chloe Decker started waving at him to come over to the body.

"You took on the responsibility Mr. Lucifer, she's counting on you to take care of her."

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to FromOverTheOcean, and Aesir21 for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. Lucifer is going to start figuring Piper out starting with the next chapter!**

 *****NOOOOOOOO! LUCIFER HAS BEEN CANCELLED!****************

 **I still plan on writing and finishing this story as it does not follow the show's timeline, but sadness all around. Let's hope the Fanfiction community still continues to write new and update old Lucifer stories and the series doesn't get lost on the board.**


	12. Chapter 11

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 11**

 **Song(s): Hold On (Feed Good Smalls Feat. XNDRQ), Doubtmouth (For Esme), My Money (Lo Moon)**

…

 _12:01am_

"I'm guessing an emancipation isn't going to happen anytime soon. Four years until I am eighteen and then I will truly be free" Piper spoke, resting her back on the leather headrest as she felt the warm air of the Los Angeles night swirling around the open top of the Corvette.

 _You won't ever be free little Miss Piper_

 _Once you are of age, you'll have to choose_

 _Choose between me or Him_

"I went back to…my Mother and James's house to get my things, well, whatever that wasn't shit or full of holes with Maze" she added, catching Lucifer's smirk at the mentioning of the woman's name.

"I'm glad to see she has started to take you under her wing" he grinned, swerving into the left lane of traffic without a signal.

"I found a piece of police caution tape outside the front door and when I stepped inside, the living room was trashed. Like, holes in the wall, furniture destroyed and…blood" she spoke, setting her eyes on the man's profile as he tucked his stubbled chin into his chest.

"Do you know if he killed her?"

Hearing the young girl's question as he slowed down for a red stop light, Lucifer moistened his lips.

"He did not."

It was all he said as Piper formed another question.

"Do…you know what happened in that house?"

"Do you really care to know the answer?"

Watching Lucifer turning his head towards her, she caught something in his dark eyes as she felt pulled in.

"No. Not right now."

Nodding his head slightly as he returned his eyes onto the road, he gunned the Corvette through the intersection of Alameda and 16th.

 _I will never lie to you child._

 _Ask me for the truth as to what happened, and I will tell you._

"Do you prefer if I call you Lucifer? Or Mr. Morningstar for the length of time that I am staying with you?" Piper questioned as she caught his bemused smile.

"Well, what else would you call me? Certainly not 'Father" or 'Dad" he snipped, gripping the steering wheel leisurely with one hand.

 _You will never call me Father_

Looking back out to her right side as she caught the permanently lit towering buildings making up the financial district, she blinked quickly as her eyes landed on the 611 Place skyscraper, the Pelli Tower, and the Aon Center before she thought of another question.

"What happens with school? You know…all that stuff that requires me to still attend until I am an adult" Piper questioned as Lucifer tapped his fingers along the wheel.

"Well now, that all depends on you Ms. Harlow" he replied as he turned down Hollywood Boulevard. Glancing to Piper's profile, he took in her chewing on the corner of her upper lip looking deep in thought before he cared to further explain his earlier words.

"Consequences. I give you a life free from parent and step-parent, emancipation without the paperwork. What you choose to do with this until you are eighteen, is entirely up to you" he added, slowing the Corvette down and rounding the corner of the alleyway before driving to the very end. Hearing the engine falling silent as she slowly opened her door, she reached around the seat and took up all her shopping bags as she really felt no joy from the expected high of having spent about a thousand dollars in less than two hours.

A thousand dollars of money that was not hers.

Stepping in through the side door of the LUX Nightclub that she had once been dragged into by the very three-piece suited man that walked at her side, Piper felt her lips spreading into a small grin as she thought of the irony.

 _Who would have thought Andrea?_

 _I spray paint the side of a nightclub, and I am now living on the top floor_

Moving through the back hallway of the club, she could hear the pounding beats of the music from the other side of the wall as they passed by Lucifer's office. Spying the door slightly ajar as lamp light spilled out into the hall, Piper caught sight of Maze and felt Lucifer's arm against hers as she ducked her head in.

"Late night Maze?" she snickered as the Demon looked up from the account books that were open in front of her.

Narrowing her dark eyes onto the pale face of the fourteen-year-old girl, Maze sniffed at the air as she took in the shopping bags. Ever since she had learned that the girl was to be a third resident upstairs in the Morningstar penthouse, she had felt a sense of jealousy.

"Yes Mazikeen, late night?" Lucifer bellowed as he moved past Piper, leaving her standing at the threshold as he rounded the corner of the desk before reaching down into a cupboard. Pulling out a bottle of Glenfiddich's 50-year-old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

"Nice" Maze purred as Piper felt the heft of her bags cutting into the skin of her fingers.

Watching Lucifer pouring himself a tumbler of the expensive liquid, he poured a second for Maze without asking. Twisting the cap back on the bottle, the Devil paused before pouring a third tumbler.

"Cheers" he smiled, holding out a tumbler towards Piper as she stared at his outstretched hand.

 _Consequences_

Hearing Lucifer's voice in her head as she rested her bags on the floor, she stepped into the office feeling a slight chill as she reached out for the tumbler. Hearing Maze's chuckle as she took the glass in her inexperienced hand as Lucifer raised his glass in a silent toast.

"And…how much is this bottle of alcohol?" she questioned, not really expecting a serious answer as Lucifer tilted the bottle, staring at the silver label.

"Sixteen thousand?" he replied as Piper felt her jaw dropping.

 _What in the hell am I doing here?_

"You sip it."

Hearing Maze's voice breaking through her thoughts as she took in the woman's instruction, Piper felt her cheeks flush as she took a small sip.

 _God, it smells awful._

 _Guess I don't have to worry about developing a drinking problem._

Stepping away from the door as she watched Maze rising to her feet after closing all the books on the table in front of her, Piper held the glass tumbler against her chest as the Demon gave her a sly smirk.

 _Why does she still scare the shit out of me?_

"To touch on our earlier conversation, there are consequences to every action" Lucifer spoke as he took a seat on the edge of the desk, pushing aside the Club's accounting books into a single pile.

 _Like you accepting a deal with me_

"Consequences of not going to school, means consequences of not getting a job that's more than scooping fries at McDonald's, means consequences of living in poverty" Piper muttered as Lucifer's excellent hearing heard her every word.

"I'm glad that you understand."

It was all he said as he finished the contents of his glass before he sat it aside, holding his fingers out for her own.

 _He knows I'll never finish it_

Surrendering her glass as she watched with scrutinizing eyes Lucifer Morningstar downing her glass, she couldn't help but shake her head.

 _All part of his put-out persona?_

 _The shady rich, expensive sin committing night club owner with a liver of steel and lungs to match_ she thought as she watched him take a stainless-steel lighter out from the inner pocket of his blazer and lighting a cigarette that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

And now, this man is my…

 _Saving Grace?_

"I must bid you a good night Miss. Harlow for the witching hour is upon us, and my audience will be beckoning for my presence" the Devil smiled as he rose to his feet. Stepping over the office threshold, Lucifer gripped the door handle tightly as he watched the young girl gather up her bags.

"Your eyes have no business near my books."

Narrowing her eyes as she held her bags, Piper clicked her tongue against the inside of her cheek as she caught his dark eyes.

"I'm no child Lucifer Morningstar, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk to me like I was one" she challenged, watching his lips pulling into a wide smile as he held his hand out for a business-like handshake.

"Enjoy your first night in the penthouse Miss. Harlow; I hope you are not too susceptible to noise."

…

 _1:06am_

Tossing her bags onto the single bed, the young girl promptly marched over to the only window in her small all white painted room as she heard the late-night traffic still as heavy out on Holly Boulevard as it was at four that afternoon. Looking down into the alleyway, she could almost see a vision of herself curled up into a ball against the wall beneath her graffiti tagging.

" _He's not coming…"_

Shaking her head as she remembered the sound of his shoes approaching her, she couldn't help but shiver.

Truly, he had saved her life that night, and she wasn't going to mess up her time here. She would do as she was told, and she would keep out of the way.

Hearing the beats of a dance song coming from downstairs, she knew _he_ was somewhere down there as was Maze, but she was curious to see just what exactly, his persona was when he was in attendance.

" _I want you to tell me what you truly desire?"_

Shutting her light off as she pulled her door halfway closed behind her, Piper moved down the hallway and rounded the corner, feeling a breeze from the open balcony doors at the far end of the living room. Pausing in her steps, she moved towards the doors and stepped along side the hot tub before letting her hands rest easily on the railing.

Staring up at the dark sky as she felt the night's warmth surrounding her, she looked down onto the long line of club goers that were poised to wait until the very end for a chance to get into the exclusive nightclub beneath her feet.

Hearing a throat clear from behind her, Piper quickly turned around and fixed her eyes on an unfamiliar petite blond-haired woman, with a police shield resting against her jeaned hip.

"Where is Lucifer Morningstar?"

In all her years, she had never been a fan of the police; Canadian or American, and she wasn't about to rub shoulders willingly in the penthouse with an Officer who had essentially broken in.

"I don't know."

Hearing the young girl's curt reply to her question, Detective Chloe Decker nodded her head as she took a step towards the balcony.

"And if I ask, how you got up here and into his penthouse, are you going to tell me?"

Feeling her lips twitching, Piper folded her hands together and offered a wide smile.

"Why, I live here Officer."

Eyeing the teenager with hard skepticism, Decker crossed her arms as she observed the girl's obvious distaste for law enforcement.

"I'm his niece" she lied, watching as Decker scoffed.

"If you had said, daughter, I would have bought that over niece with the number of women he has dated. However, Lucifer has never mentioned any siblings."

 _You seem to know more about Lucifer Morningstar than I do_

 _Did you two used to date?_

"His sister, is my Mother" Piper lied easily as she leaned against the railing.

"What is your name?"

She had thought to lie on her name, but instead, thought to tell the truth about one thing in case the Officer spoke to Lucifer before she could.

"Piper."

"I'm guessing Piper, you are not over the age of eighteen, and though I have a hard time thinking that Lucifer has allowed you into his penthouse knowing that you are…probably not much older than fifteen, I would like to see some identification."

Hearing the soft ding of the elevator doors, Piper felt her stomach muscles tightening as she watched the very man himself striding across the floor with two stick thin blondes on each arm.

"She's not a yappy little terrier Detective, she has no _papers_ " he grinned as Decker narrowed her blue eyes onto the two women at his side before taking in his half-unbuttoned dress shirt.

"Well, it's nice to see that you are _too_ busy to return my phone calls" Decker scolded as Piper felt the thick tension building in the penthouse air.

"Piper here says that she is your niece, the daughter of your sister?"

Moving his dark eyes onto the teenager's face, he knew of her contempt for anything police related and as he felt a set of soft manicured fingers moving over the exposed flesh of his chest, he smiled as if confirming her lie.

"Sara. Yes, rather a chip off the old block this one is. Even if she does not have quite as dark hair as the rest of the family" he spoke, wondering if any of his other siblings were privy to his conversation at the very moment.

Moving her eyes over the two thin women vying for Lucifer's attention, the young girl could make out the sight of hardened nipples on both as she felt the blush on her cheeks. Looking down to the one woman's high heels, she noticed the red painted expensive heel as she shed the shoe, taking off a good couple inches off her height.

 _Louboutin was it?_

"Now if you don't mind Detective, Mollie and Ashley were about to show me a magic trick that requires three if you know what I mean" the Devil smiled as Decker shot her eyes to Piper.

"How long did you say you were staying here with him?"

"Um…."

"Until I get sick of her."

 _Or, until she chooses foolishly, to live in my Father's good graces_

"Just remember to meet me at the prescient for ten, and not half in the bag smelling like Rum."

Watching the Police Officer moving past the nightclub owner without a further look or physical contact, Piper felt the awkwardness settling over the room as she heard the closing of the elevator doors.

"I'm sure if Saraqael actually had a decent sense of humor and not so dry, she _would_ find it humorous at having a human child to call her own."

Lifting her eyes onto Lucifer's, she felt her eyebrow raising at the spoken name of his sister.

"You…have a sister named Saraqael?" she questioned as the man in question gave a slight nod.

"A very…androgynous sister, but yes."

 _So, Lucifer and Saraqael…_

 _What's next?_

 _You have a cousin named Thor?_

"She's cute."

Hearing the hiccupped words from the other blonde that had refused to let go of Lucifer's left arm since they had appeared out of the elevator, Piper held her breath as she watched the woman stride up to her in the not so straightest of lines.

Smelling the god-awful stench of her too sweet strawberry perfume, Piper tried to take a step backwards as she felt the woman press her thumb and forefinger against her lips before lightly rubbing along the matte finish of the Dior rouge she had tried on hours earlier in the Sephora shop.

"I love your lipstick. Perhaps she could keep score for us all?"

Freezing in place as she threw her eyes up and onto Lucifer's face, Piper caught his slight scowl twitching along his upper lip as Ashley turned around with a wide flirty smile.

Watching Lucifer raising a single finger before gently wagging it back and forth as Mollie kissed the side of his throat, Piper held her breath as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Too young…too very young."

 _And that's my cue to leave_

Moving around the giggling woman as she avoided eye contact with everyone else, the young girl made a beeline for her bedroom and winced as she heard the laughter of both women behind her back.

"I am not in fucking Kansas anymore Toto" Piper breathed as she slammed her bedroom door shut, stepping back against the edge of the single bed, she tried to steady her breathing as she walked to the window and stuck her head out. Breathing in deeply as she closed her eyes, she felt the first few raindrops against her nose and forehead as she opened her eyes to the sky.

"You want to be a grown-up? Be prepared to live in a grown-up world Piper Elizabeth Harlow."

…

 _3:01am_

Rolling over to face the open bedroom window, the young teenager muttered something intangible as she unconsciously reached to pull the thin white bedsheet up to cover her naked shoulders.

 _I can smell the smoke_

 _It's burning my throat_

 _Clutching tightly at her blanket, the young child could see two sets of shoes in front of her from where she hid under the table._

 _No one will find me here_

 _Momma told me that if I closed my eyes, no one could see me_

 _But he sees me_

 _And I see him…_

Staring down at the sleeping fourteen-year-old laying still beneath the bedsheets, Amenadiel crossed his arms over his chest as he felt the feathers of his wings twitching from the slight evening breeze coming in from the window.

"Our Father loves you child, but he leaves your decision out of his hands" he spoke softly before turning towards the window.

"You will be protected Lola for the time being, but if you choose to follow my brother, our Father will make his displeasure known to you."

…

 _The Next Morning…_

 _7:23am_

Pulling the newly purchased white v-neck t-shirt over her head, Piper smoothed down the hem before pulling on a pair of black tights and slipping her bare feet into black ballet flats.

Standing straight as she gathered her hair up off her neck, she moved towards her bedroom door before turning back towards her open window. Feeling a shiver passing over her shoulders as she stared at the non-moving blinds, she felt a slight pull towards the window before a loud thump sounded from outside her door. Resting her hand on the doorknob, Piper listened for any movement before slowly pulling it open. Staring down at a large cardboard box, she stepped out into the hallway and read the hastily scribbled words in black marker.

 _Open Me Obviously_

Flipping open the flaps of the box, her eyes took in two cans of black paint and a few heavy-duty brushes and rollers before she spotted a folded white piece of paper.

 _White means innocent, and you are not innocent - M_

"Maze?"

Hearing the whisper falling from her lips as she dragged the box into her bedroom, Piper closed the door and walked slowly towards the open living room area, feeling the rumble of hunger in her stomach.

 _How awkward is breakfast going to be if his guests, are still here?_

Rounding the corner of the hallway, she was half expecting to smell the lingering scent of cheap strawberry perfume and freshly pressed coffee and as she stepped up to the island, she saw and smelled nothing. Shifting her eyes towards the carved stone door less alcove that housed Lucifer's bedroom, she sat down lightly on a black stool and was just about to move out to the balcony when the ding of the elevator doors rang out.

"Amante de Jesus!"

"Demonio!"

Throwing her eyes onto the two women, she watched Maze spinning a small hunting knife around between her fingers.

 _How does she do that without stabbing herself?_

"Good morning Piper, Mister Lucifer" Maggie smiled as she let the white laundry basket drop at her feet.

Moving her eyes as she watched Lucifer Morningstar taking a heavy seat on the other stool, Piper felt her cheeks getting red as Lucifer folded his hands behind his head. Noticing his messy black hair as she moved her eyes to the side of his neck, she noticed the smudged red lipstick kisses trailing down his naked chest, coming to rest against his naval and the top of his black silk sleeping shorts.

"Ugh,"

Wrapping her fingers around the hot cup of coffee that was placed before her, she watched as Maggie sat another cup of black steaming liquid down in front of Lucifer.

"You, look wrecked" Piper noted as Lucifer took a deep sip of his coffee.

Feeling her lips pulling into a smirk as Maggie came up to stand just behind his shoulder, she watched as the older woman slung a white dress shirt over his shoulder before tossing a left behind black lace bra into the stainless-steel trash can.

"Someone might come back for that" Lucifer yawned as Maggie crossed her arms over her chest.

"Never the same woman twice come here, put on a camisa" she scolded as the man rolled his eyes.

"Remind me again why I begged you to come back?" he gruffed as he reached for the dress shirt and pulled it around his shoulders before pushing his arms through.

"For el adolescente, and for yourself" Maggie scolded once more as Piper snickered.

"Laugh it up urchin. By the way, you are coming with me this morning to an appointment. If I can't figure out who you are or where I have met you before, Linda will" Lucifer added as he stood up and ignored his cup.

Focusing her eyes on his bare retreating back as she felt a shiver running over her shoulders, Piper felt Maggie's eyes and allowed her to take her cup.

"You use to work here before?" Piper questioned as Maggie nodded her head.

"For three years. Mister Lucifer and…Miss Maze" she added before throwing her eyes onto the other side of the room towards the hallway that always seemed to radiate a cool breeze.

Mulling the question over in her mind as she heard Maggie rinsing out her cup, Piper rose to her feet and leaned against the kitchenette counter.

"I'm from Canada so they teach French rather than Spanish. Can I ask what you and Maze were fighting about?"

"Just bickering. Why has Mister Lucifer brought you to stay here?" Maggie questioned as Piper tucked her chin into her chest.

"Because I have nowhere else to go."

"You said Canada, yet you are here in Los Angeles, why?"

"My Mother and Step-Father moved me here, but…I have no use for them anymore, just as they have no use for me."

It was all she said as she caught sight of Lucifer adjusting the cuffs of his black suit jacket while standing in the alcove of his bedroom.

"Right then, shall we?"

…

 _Doctor Linda Martin's Office, 178 – B N Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, California…_

"Where are we going for this appointment?"

Hearing Piper's question as he pulled the Corvette over against the side of the curb on Santa Monica Boulevard, Lucifer adjusted his sunglasses before turning off the engine.

"To see a Therapist."

 _He wants me to see a Therapist?_

 _Seriously?_

"I don't need to speak with a Therapist" she spat, slamming her door as Lucifer rounded the hood of the Corvette.

"Well I do, and you are coming with me."

Walking slightly behind the towering well dressed man, Piper half jogged in the bid to keep up with the over six footed man as she watched him pull open the glass door. Stepping into a cool foyer dressed simply in pale grey and white, she walked across the marble floor towards a set of elevators.

"Why do you need to see a Therapist?"

 _Like I can't take a guess_

Hearing the young girl's question as he walked with determined strides, the Devil grinned to himself as he thought of the most honest answer he could give her.

"Isn't the answer always to do with family?" he replied as Piper snorted.

"So, because you're a tall lanky rich British twit, you've having such a hard time dealing with all that? Oh, and the fact that your name is that of the Devil" she spat in a poor half assed Cockney accent as Lucifer let out a roar of laughter in amusement.

"Lanky?" he laughed as he stepped past her and into the stainless-steel elevator. Pressing the number for the fourth floor of the building, he focused his eyes onto Piper's reflection in the wall mirror, watching her leaning nervously against the side glass as she bit at her lower lip.

 _Does he pride himself on trying to model himself after the Devil? Brooding, arrogant, narcissist?_

"I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not really British" Lucifer smiled as he caught her eye.

"Really?"

"Nope. Picked it up in my…travels" he smirked, stepping out of the elevator and into the carpeted hallway.

Following Lucifer down the corridor as she smelled the light faint fragrance of roses, she looked at every closed door of the various offices before she bumped into Lucifer's back.

"We've arrived."

…

"Lucifer, I appreciate you making your appointment, but she is a minor and needs to have a parent or guardian present or at least, signed off on."

 _I am so sick of people treating me like a child._

 _Yeah I'm fourteen but, fuck…_

"And if I told you that as of two days ago, she came into my possession?"

Hearing Lucifer's voice as she looked up to his profile, Piper stared at the five o'clock shadow running along the length of his sharp chin as she narrowed her eyes.

 _I guess, I do belong to him when you come to think of it_ she thought as she heard Lucifer's voice in her head.

" _What do you get out of this?"_

" _Another soul on my side"_

"She can't be your daughter…can _you_ , even have children?" Linda Martin questioned as she turned her eyes and stared at Piper.

 _You?_

"He is not my Dad. My Dad's dead. My Mother and Step-Father are not that far behind" Piper spat as she watched Linda moistening her glossy lips.

"I don't understand Lucifer. I can speak to you, but not to her. I do run an ethical practice" Linda added as Lucifer ushered Piper towards the beige sofa along the back wall.

" _She_ is with me, and _we_ are here together to find out where _we_ have met before."

Watching Lucifer crossing his legs as Piper tucked herself up on the far end of the consulting sofa, Linda sighed before she walked to the closed door and threw the lock.

"I guess you are the person I would eventually have to answer to in breaking my ethics. Alright then, what is your name?" she questioned, taking a light seat in her chair before crossing her short legs.

"Piper."

"Ask her what her real name is" Lucifer interrupted as Linda rolled her eyes.

"I'm a Therapist Lucifer, not a mind reader" the Doctor groaned as she focused her eyes on Piper.

"Can I ask Piper why you are with Mr. Morningstar?"

"Because I have nowhere else to go."

"Do you think you two have met before?"

 _I think I would remember meeting a man such as Lucifer Morningstar_

"Yes."

 _Wait, what?_

"Now, we are getting somewhere" Lucifer smiled as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I'm from Canada and have only been in Los Angeles for just over two weeks, how in the hell would I have met him?" Piper questioned loudly as Linda nodded her head.

"There is something we can try. It's non-invasive and I have used it with patients of all ages in my practice" she spoke as both Lucifer and Piper stared at her intently.

"Hypnosis."

Hearing Piper burst into laughter, both adults turned their eyes onto her face as she folded her legs beneath her on the sofa. "What, like you are getting sleppepppyyyy?" she mocked.

Chuckling to himself as he looked back to Linda, Lucifer held up his hands in a defensive mode.

"She's your patient Doctor, not mine."

Adjusting her posture as she re-crossed her legs, Linda set her jaw hard as she stared at the young teenager.

"I want you to close your eyes and clear your mind."

 _Really?_

Closing her eyes as she settled back against the sofa, Piper sighed as she took in a deep breath, she at least felt a slight comfort in knowing that Lucifer was beside her.

"I want you to start counting backwards from thirty. Try and visualize each number as you slowly count."

 _Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight…_

Breathing in and out as steady as she could, she slowly stretched her hands over to rest over her thighs as she continued to count down.

 _Was that smoke she smelt?_

"Piper, can you tell me where you are right now?"

Moistening her lips as she heard Linda's voice speaking to her, the young girl kept her eyes closed as she felt her shoulders starting to sink in a relaxed, resting position.

"I…am home" she spoke calmly as Linda took a moment to listen to the ticking of the pendulum.

"Where is home?"

"Canada…"

"Yes, I know all this already."

Shooting an irritated look to Lucifer, Linda re-folded her hands and focused her attentions firmly on the teenager at hand.

"What do you see Piper?"

Catching the girl's lips twisting as she asked her question, Linda held up a hand towards Lucifer and asked her question again.

"I…see black shoes, walking towards me."

"Anyone could be wearing black shoes" Lucifer growled to himself as he stared at Piper's profile.

 _If this girl is nothing special and if I've only once tossed a handful of coins into her tip jar, she is back out on the streets_

"What else do you see?"

Narrowing his eyes as he watched the teenager seated on the other side of the couch sniff the air slightly, Lucifer inched closer as he felt his Devil face burning through the fleshy façade of his human face.

"I smell fire, I smell, burning skin."

Moving his eyes onto Linda's face, Lucifer furrowed his brow as he watched her mouth slowly starting to open before his ears picked up a loud thump immediately to his left near the windows.

"Of all times Brother, you would choose now to slow down time" Lucifer spat as he allowed his Devil face to shine through.

"I'm surprised at you Luci, taking the child to a Therapist instead of talking to her, learning more about her on your own. Exercising patience" Amenadiel spoke as he crossed his arms over his broad robed chest.

"Don't you dare try and talk to me about patience. I have been the most patient fallen angel there ever was! You interrupting this little session means there is something dear old Dad does not want me to know about her."

 _Know about me?_

No longer hearing Dr. Linda's voice as she felt her fingers starting to twitch, Piper moistened her lips as she slowly opened her eyes halfway.

"You don't have to be a fallen angel Luci, if you'd just accept our Father's love and follow…"

"I will follow jack shit from him."

Hearing Lucifer's growl, the young girl fully opened her eyes and stared straight ahead before moving her eyes onto Linda.

 _Why, is her mouth moving like that?_

 _Fallen angels? Our Father?_

"You don't have to be the Devil anymore Samael."

 _The Devil?_

Flexing her fingers fully as she turned around slowly on the sofa to face the two men standing in front of the sunny windows, Piper felt her mouth falling open as she felt the back of her throat go instantly dry.

"No one, can do this better that I" Lucifer smiled as the burnt skin of his face electrified and pulsed.

"Luci…"

Watching his brother's mouth freezing in place as he slowly turned his head, Lucifer's red eyes focused hard on Piper's face as she sat as still as stone staring back with wide eyes.

Balling his fists up at his side, the elder angel quickly angled his body and released a single wing with lightening speed towards the seated teenager. Throwing a quick hand out as the sharpness of his brother's dark wing sliced widely open the palm of his right hand, Lucifer let out a deep growl before gritting his teeth with the unfamiliar feeling of pain, refusing the let go.

"My ability hasn't slowed her" Amenadiel whispered as he watched the blood drip freely from his brother's hand and onto the beige office carpet.

Pulling his wing back as Lucifer let out a howl and a string of curses, Amenadiel nodded his head towards Piper as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"We all will met again, very soon."

Feeling the sudden gust of wind against her face as she blinked clearly, Piper opened her eyes to see Lucifer standing directly in front of her, wrapping a white handkerchief around his hand as Linda looked around in confusion.

 _His face was not…human_

"I…Lucifer! What the hell happened to your hand?"

Ignoring the Doctor's words as he stared straight down into Piper's eyes, she said not a word as he tucked the end of the fabric into the fold.

"I know, that you saw my Brother in all his winged glory."

Feeling the shiver running down her spine as she held her breath, Piper sat perfectly still as she felt the fabric of Lucifer's pant leg against her own.

"Your brother?"

 _Stay out of this Doctor_

Pressing her back firmly into the sofa, Piper watched as the man in front of her blinked his dark eyes slowly.

"And I know, that you one hundred percent…"

"Saw me."

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to kv1n20, verdena, guest, aesir21, and brookeworm3 for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. SO HAPPY LUCIFER WAS PICKED UP BY NETFLIX! (Happy dance…)**

…

 **Kv1n20: LUCIFER HAS BEEN SAVED BY NETFLIX MY FRIEND! Thank you for your kind words on my story.**

 **Verdena: Oh there will be bachelor parties! True Lucifer style as well! Thanks for enjoying my story. I totally thought of the lawyer situation after overhearing a conversation in a coffee shop. By chance, did you notice that the first letters of my imagined law firm spells out JESUS? lol**

 **Guest: Thank you so much for enjoying my story! I have big plans for Piper!**

 **Aesir21: Lucifer is coming to Netflix! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review**

 **Brookeworm3: LUCIFER WAS PICKED UP BY NETFLIX!**


	13. Chapter 12

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 12**

 **Song(s): Love is Blindness (The Damn Truth), Sympathy for the Devil (Rolling Stones)**

" _And I know, that you one hundred percent…"_

" _Saw me."_

Staring at the well-dressed man who sat at the office desk, Piper watched as the attractive blonde Therapist pulled a needle attached with dark thick thread through the skin of the man's palm.

 _He flinches not an inch_ she noted as she continued to stare.

 _What did I see?_

Closing her eyes, Piper saw the dark-skinned man standing before Lucifer, standing in front of the office window.

 _He looked to have…wings?_

 _That's impossible…_

 _But he saw me, and I…_

 _Saw him_

Throwing her eyes open, the young girl sprang up from her seat on the comfortable sofa and had almost pulled the door halfway open just as a strong hand slammed it shut, sending her flying backwards and onto her ass. Looking up with wide eyes, she caught sight of the red bloody hand print as Lucifer Morningstar narrowed his dark eyes.

"Tell me…. **WHAT YOU SAW CHILD!** "

Wincing hard as Lucifer's deep voice roared off the office walls, Piper threw her eyes onto Linda as the middle-aged woman suddenly clued in to the fact that her patient was no longer seated at her side. Looking down to the desk, the needle and the snapped thread between her fingers, Linda felt her mouth dropping as she saw Piper on the floor.

" **LUCIFER!"**

"Stay out of this Doctor, you've had your chance" the Devil growled as he kneeled down beside Piper. Reaching two long fingers out, he firmly gripped her chin and turned her head so that her eyes had no where else to look but at him.

"Lucifer, she is a child…"

" _She_ , has the unfortunate fate to have caught my attentions, and to shake hands on a deal for my…Guardianship. She is mine"

 _For the time being_ the voice in his head spoke as he narrowed his eyes.

"Wait…does she know who you are Lucifer?"

Hearing the concern in Linda's voice, the Devil leaned in closer towards Piper as the teenager stared directly into his dark eyes.

"Say it child…"

Swallowing hard as she felt Lucifer's breath so close against her skin, Piper had never felt the amount of fear in his presence that she did at this very moment.

"Whhhat, do you want me to say?" she whispered, trying to steady her words as Lucifer tightened his grip around her chin.

"You saw my poor excuse for an older brother Amenadiel, wings, robe, and all glory" he spoke as Piper kept her mouth shut.

"He was going to cut me with his wing" she muttered as Lucifer released her chin, before tracing the tip of his index finger along the bottom lobe of her right ear.

"Edges of wings may be made of feathers, but they can cut like razor sharp knives" he purred as Linda rose to her feet.

"Lucifer, I insist that you stop right now!" she spoke in a thunderous tone as Piper tried to push away from the uncomfortably closeness of being right next to the white dress shirted man.

Feeling his lips parting into a wide smile, he quickly rose to his feet before bending slightly with elegance. Offering out his hand, he noticed the blood dripping from between his fingers as he reached into the pocket of his blazer. Wrapping a white handkerchief embroidered with his initials around his palm, Lucifer offered his other hand towards the young girl as she ignored it. Standing up on her own two feet, she brought her eyes up onto Linda Martin and watched as the Doctor stuffed her homemade first aid kit back into her desk drawer.

"God doesn't exist. God doesn't. Angels, Demons don't…" she began as she caught a tinge of sadness in the woman's eyes.

"Piper, you have no idea what does and what doesn't exist in this world" she began as the young girl clenched her fists at her sides.

"Then someone tell me."

Hearing Piper's challenge, Lucifer felt his lips pulling into a wide smile as he let out a low chuckle.

"How about I show you?' he grinned, blinking deeply as his dark brown eyes flashed as red as the fiery bowels of his Hell down below.

"Satan…"

Hearing the single word falling off her quivering lips, Piper felt as if her feet were about to give away from beneath her as Lucifer quickly reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly.

"At your service."

…

Sitting perfectly still in the passenger seat of the vintage '61 Chevrolet Corvette, Piper Harlow chewed endlessly and firmly on the bottom of her lip, so hard that she could taste her own blood.

"Do you enjoy the taste of your own blood child?"

Hearing Lucifer's accented words from beside her, Piper refused to offer him a glance as she remained silent.

"You will have to talk sooner or later Piper Harlow, if you ever plan to eat again under my roof" he challenged, looking over to his young passenger as she took a deep breath.

"You are really real….aren't you?"

"Real as in…"

Turning her eyes onto Lucifer's profile, she stared at his dark, almost black five o'clock shadow before lowering her gaze down onto the black and gold ring that never left his finger.

"That you really are…the Devil?"

"As real as I am sitting here and driving this Corvette" he answered, shifting into a lower gear as he rounded the corner and onto Hollywood Boulevard. Slowing down for a red traffic light, Lucifer perked his ears up as he heard a low chuckle before Piper exploded into a fit of laughter.

"Something…funny to you?"

Hearing the laughter exploding out of her mouth, Piper threw her hands up and tried in vain to settle herself down.

"You can't be the fucking Devil! You are a human male! Contact lenses, pretending to be all suave as shit? What do you grant wishes too?" she bellowed, erupting into laughter once more as Lucifer yanked the car over dangerously across two lanes of traffic and resting against the curb.

"Oh little girl, you have no idea just how bad I can make life for you."

Staring into Lucifer's eyes as she saw the flicking of small flames, Piper felt a coldness falling over her shoulders as the Devil quickly reached out and cupped her chin tightly with his fingers.

"Believe me."

…

 _7:12am_

 _The Next Day…_

Tiptoeing out of her bedroom, Piper closed her eyes and listened for any hint of a sound from the hallway. Hearing nothing, she gently closed her bedroom door and moved towards the kitchenette that would soon have Maggie busy about with the required caffeine mixed alcoholic drinks that passed off as breakfast for the adults.

Or rather,

For the Devil.

Slipping on her Doc Martin boots, Piper pressed a single finger against the elevator button and turned her head over her shoulder slightly to see the naked chest of Lucifer Morningstar lying in bed with a woman's arm draped around.

Stepping into the elevator, she watched the doors close in front of her as she took a deep, exhausted breath. She had not slept a wink since she had stepped foot back in the penthouse the night previous, and with good reason.

 _(Flashback)_

 _Dragging the white chest of drawers across her floor, she had pushed it up against her bedroom door before throwing her window open wide. Sticking her head out, she breathed deeply as yet another thunderstorm sounded off in the distance._

" _If there is a Devil, then there is a God" she whispered, catching a flash of lightening in the clouds, lighting up their edges. Staring up at the flashes as they started to dance along the sky, Piper heard the laughter of a female coming from the hallway as she kept her eyes trained on the sky._

" _But I don't believe in God. If you were real God, you wouldn't have allowed all this bad shit to happen in my life. And don't you dare tell me that those were life lessons to set me on a path" she added, hearing a loud boom of thunder as the electronic music from the club downstairs fell silent._

" _Was that a response?...God?"_

Pushing open the back door to the nightclub, Piper blinked in irritation as the early Los Angeles sun nearly blinded her.

"I have to get out of here. I have to think…"

 _But where in the hell am I going to go?_

Walking down the empty shaded alleyway that would lead her out the front of LUX, Piper turned around and stared up at the windows that were situated in Lucifer's bedroom.

 _Am I really expecting him to stand there and watch me?_

 _Or do I wish he was…_

Walking down the quiet street, she had no idea where she was heading until she made a mental note to get herself a new cell phone.

"I want a friend" she whispered quietly as she sniffed at the air.

 _Fresh ground coffee_

Ducking into the first Starbucks she came across, she took two deep sips of the scalding hot liquid before her continued walk.

 _I need some place quiet to think_

 _Could I somehow get a hold of Jacob, Dylan, Andrea?_

 _Twenty minutes later…_

Hearing the distant ring of church bells, Piper scanned her eyes to her left and squinted as she tossed her cup into a trash can.

Seeing the humor in her decision as she turned and made her way towards the front double doors of the Roman Catholic Church, she raised her eyes onto the large concreate cross that rested on top of a curled detailed level before her eyes lowered onto a large vertical glass window. Feeling the eyes of the two Saint statues staring down at her as she stood in front of the doors, Piper held her breath and stepped over the threshold and into the stale air of the building.

…

 _LUX Nightclub, 6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

 _10:13am_

Rolling over onto his back as he felt manicured fingernails tickling down towards his naval, Lucifer Morningstar groaned as he opened his dark eyes.

"Good morning,"

Giving a quick glance towards the woman who had caught his attentions the night before, Lucifer tossed the black sheet off his naked body and sat up, swinging his legs off the edge of the king-sized bed.

"No time for a quickie?"

Shaking his tired head at the prospect of sex, Lucifer let out a yawn before snapping his fingers. Grabbing his silken robe, he swung it around his shoulders just as Maggie rounded the corner with a cup of Sumatra blend coffee.

"Morning Mister Lucifer."

Taking the cup between his fingers, he ignored his bed guest as she gathered up her clothing and purse before giving Lucifer's back the middle finger. Grabbing a coaster from the side counter top, Maggie lifted Lucifer's cup and placed it beneath as he lit up a cigarette.

"I thought you had given up smoking? she questioned, as the Devil blew two rings in the air in front of him.

"Why would I do that? It's not like cancer is going to kill me?" he smiled, hearing a curse from the elevator as his guest left the penthouse.

"Excellent example you are setting for Piper."

Stubbing out the end of the cigarette, Lucifer stretched his arms up over his head before rising to his feet.

"Speaking of children, has she come out of her room?"

Shaking her head as she took up Lucifer's empty mug, she narrowed her eyes as he pushed his silver whiskey flask across the dark wooden table.

"A re-fill if you please."

Adjusting the collars of his white dress shirt, the Devil tucked the tail ends into his black dress pants before pulling up the zipper. Fastening his shirt cuffs, he stepped out of his bedroom alcove and watched as Maggie started to strip his bed sheets.

"How I have missed you Maggie my dear" he smiled as he stepped around and walked towards the hallway that would lead to his charge's bedroom.

"Knock…knock…" tapping his fingers against the closed door, Lucifer gripped the handle and turned it slowly as he pushed the door open. Spying the empty bedroom, he noticed the absence of her dirty boots and the window wide open. Moving to the window, he glanced down into the alleyway and knew she was not that stupid to jump.

"You would have broken your ankles."

Leaving the bedroom, he slowly walked back down the hallway and came to stand at attention beside his black baby grand.

"The…urchin, has disappeared" he announced as Maggie dumped his sheets into a wicker basket.

"By chance, you didn't say anything… estúpido, did you?" Maggie questioned as Lucifer licked his lips.

"Well, she did see my angelic brother with his wings all splayed out in my therapist's downtown office, and I…did flash a reflection of Hell in my eyes…" he began as Maggie felt her mouth falling open.

"And, you are surprised that she has vacated the penthouse?"

"Oh, she will be back, even if I have to drag her screaming and in pieces."

…

 _Blessed Sacrament Jesuit Parish, 6657 W Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Calif…_

Slowly walking into the church, she heard the soles of her boots against the laminate floor, as her eyes moved across the deep rows of wooden pews. Spying a few bodies kneeling in prayer, she clicked her tongue against the inside of her cheek as she spied a basin of water.

 _Holy water_

Dipping her fingers in, she pulled them out and took a sniff.

 _Nothing spectacular_

"Are you in line for Confession?"

Hearing the soft elderly woman's voice from behind her, Piper turned and wiped her hand along her black tight thigh as she shook her head.

"It's okay if you want to go first?"

"No, really, I'm not speaking to a Priest" she replied as the woman looked her over.

"Is this your first Confession?"

"I'm not a Catholic."

 _I'm not anything_

"You can still talk to a Priest. He is our link here on Earth to God."

Watching the woman walk past her, Piper kept her eyes focused on her retreating back as she watched her disappear around a heavy green hanging cloth. Catching the small cross lighting up above the middle of three enclosures, she took a seat in one of the pews and glanced down at the tucked away Bibles.

"Maybe I should go and confess my sins…"

 _What sins do I have?_

 _If anything, I was the one who got the shitty end of every stick, so why the hell do I have to apologize?_

Watching the curtain pull away, Piper lowered her head as if in prayer as the woman walked past in silence. Taking a deep breath, she quickly rose to her feet and reached out for the curtain. Feeling the softness of the green velvet along her fingers, she pushed the curtain aside and spied a wooden bench beneath a sliding screen window.

 _Okay…_

Taking a seat, she watched the window slide open as she heard a low voice.

"Bless you my child."

"I'm not religious" she spat almost immediately before clarifying herself.

"I'm not Catholic."

Hearing the Priest's throat clear on the other side of the screen, Piper moved her eyes up and caught the youthfulness of the man staring back at her wearing his clerics.

"We are all God's children, and he believes in you. Otherwise, he wouldn't have led you here to his house" the Priest spoke as Piper narrowed her eyes.

"I made my own way here thank you very much" she replied as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Would you like to confess your sins?"

 _That's right, move me along_

"I've done nothing that can't be explained by the shit that has been thrown my way."

Hearing the man's sigh, she was about to push aside the curtain and leave when he asked her a second question.

"Are you concerned for your safety?"

 _Am I?_

"I live with a man who, says he is the Devil"

Hearing the words coming out of her mouth, Piper couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh as she realized just how pathetic and crazy she sounded.

"There are some individuals in our lives that try to trick us into thinking that they are something they are not. People lie, steal, and fool us in our everyday lives."

"I saw his eyes…they went red" she whispered, hearing the low chimes of church bells to signal the preparation for the noonday Mass.

"Parlor tricks."

 _For someone who believes in God for a living, you sure are quick to dismiss that just maybe, I have seen the Devil_

"You don't believe me" she announced, catching sight of a shadow passing beneath the curtain, no doubt looking to get a good seat in the pews.

"What is this man's name my child?"

 _Get ready for this one…_

"Lucifer Morningstar" she replied with a small smile.

…

Standing in front of the large church, Lucifer rolled his shoulders to relieve the sudden tension in his muscles before removing his sunglasses.

"She would have to summon me while sitting in a bloody church" he moaned, catching sight of a young woman in a black pant suit and tight white blouse entering through the doors.

"Now _you_ , may certainly eat the fruit from my tree" he smiled widely, marching up the steps and pulling open one of the doors. Standing in the foyer of the church, his dark eyes spied a basin containing holy water and as he walked up to stand beside it, he let his fingers hover.

"Bless me Father, for I am about to sin" he grinned, watching the water ripple without his touch as he slowly walked down the aisle, moving his eyes over the heads of the parishioners.

Spying a life size statue of Christ standing with his arms stretched out and a golden halo behind his head, Lucifer sneered as he blew out all the tealights that had been lit over the hours for those looking for answers to their prayers.

 _(Flashback)_

" _I will give you all their authority and splender; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours."_

 _Feeling the intense heat of the early morning as he stood beside Jesus on the mountain, they both stared down at the small town of Capernaum in Galilee as he spoke the words._

" _It is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve him only."_

 _Rolling his eyes as he felt the hot breeze moving through the white feathers of his wings, Lucifer scoffed as he turned and stared at Jesus's profile._

" _You really think that my Father is the be all and end all answer to living a good life? Give me a break…"_

"Looks like I was right Jay" the Devil grinned as he caught sight of Piper sitting in a pew on the far-right hand side of the congregation.

Slipping into the pew behind her, he took in a deep breath and relaxed the air as it flowed evenly through his nostrils.

"A woman being never at a loss…the Devil always sticks by them" he quoted as he caught Piper's shoulders wincing at his words.

"You…"

"Byron actually. That man certainly had a way with words" Lucifer spoke as he caught the glance of a middle-aged man shaking his head in disapproval at the loud talking.

"Looking for something my friend?" he growled, flashing his red eyes as the man dropped the Bible from his fingers and scurried out of the pew, half walking half running down the aisle towards the closed double doors.

Turning around, Piper felt the butterflies in her stomach as she watched Lucifer's lips parting into a wide smile.

 _Like the Cheshire cat…_

"How, did you know I was here?" she whispered, sitting up on the edge of her seat, feeling her fingers tightly gripping the end of the bench.

"You…called me again."

"No, I didn't call…"

"In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Rolling his eyes as the Minister held his hands up and spoke, Lucifer leaned forward and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"I'm not one to be squeamish, but if we could leave Dad's house?"

Rising to her feet, she felt the light fingers of his hand graze her arm as she walked by his pew, keeping her steps slow and steady down the aisle as she kept her eyes trained on the closed front doors.

Feeling the heat of the early afternoon against her face as she stepped aside for a late parishioner, Piper moved her eyes over the Corvette that was parked in a handicapped zone before Lucifer spoke against her ear.

"Coffee?"

…

 _Starbucks, 7055 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

Avoiding Lucifer signaling for a patio seat in the shade, Piper shook her head as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I want to stay in the public eye"

"Suit yourself, now ask away."

Taking a seat across from the well dressed man in the dark green cushioned booth, Piper folded her hands together before reaching out to place her fingertips on the edge of her glass mug.

"What, is your name, your real name?"

"Samael" he tasted with a sour note.

"Are…how…"

"Tongue tied? I understand. Many just start screaming after they are alone with me. One, yes, I am the Devil. Two, yes, God does exist, and three, yes, you have seen both a current angel, my brother, and a fallen angel, moi."

"Your eyes flashed red…"

"The flames of Hell. If you'd like, I can take you there one day?"

Gripping the handle of her coffee mug, she squeezed so tightly that it separated and would have spilled the hot contents all over her hand had the man sitting across from her not pushed it out of the way.

"Quick reflexes. One of the few gifts Dad gave me."

Staring straight into his dark eyes, Piper knew that he was telling the truth, and though she knew that she should have followed on mass with the rest of civilization by screaming and falling down onto her knees to pray for her soul…

She couldn't bring herself to be so pathetic.

"If you are the Devil…then what…is Maze?"

Catching the gleam in his eye as she spoke his second in command's name, Lucifer grinned before folding his hands together.

"Good girl, Mazikeen is a Demon."

"Jesus…"

"Perhaps I should publish my own version of the Bible and show people just how wrong the old boys of the Apostles had it when it came to…Him" Lucifer spoke as Piper felt another question forming on her lips.

"All the paintings, pictures, statues, are they…"

"An accurate representation? Not even close."

 _How in the fuck am I sitting here listening to all this?_

 _But he's telling the truth._

 _Why, am I so…calm?_

"And to add, I myself have been unfairly represented in the artwork of the world. I mean really? A pitchforked tail? Hoofs for feet? So desperate that I kept badgering Eve?"

Feeling a sudden lightheadness washing over her, Piper brought a slow hand up against her cheek as she started to have double vision, feeling flushed.

"I…."

Feeling strong arms catching her shoulders as she nearly slumped off her chair, she caught his lips parting as he gathered her up as if she weighed nothing.

"Where are you taking me?"

Hearing her quiet words as he watched her pass out, he ignored the concerned eyes of the servers and customers as he tucked her against his chest.

"Too much action for one day I'm afraid."

Carrying Piper out to the Corvette, he took his time in laying her down across the backseat before freeing her shoulder length hair from the seat. Letting the strands fall from between his long fingers, he narrowed his eyes as he spotted a small mole near the bottom of her ear lobe.

 _I've seen this mole before…_

"Where are you taking me?"

Blinking quickly as he heard Piper's exhausted whisper, the Devil smiled before moistening his lips.

"Home. We had a deal, remember?"

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to Aesir21 and Brookeworm3 for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. SO HAPPY LUCIFER WAS PICKED UP BY NETFLIX! (Happy dance…)**


	14. Chapter 13

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 13**

 **Song(s): ALEX (Youth Feat Rachel McAlpine), Luck Be A Lady (Frank Sinatra)**

 _Opening her eyes as she slowly sat up straight in the brown leather chair in front of the floor to ceiling bookshelves, Piper stared at the white curtains that blew gently open along the balcony doors._

" _Lucifer Morningstar is the Devil. The Prince of Darkness, the Ruler of Hell" she whispered to herself as she rose to her feet. Running a hand over the edge of the desk, she moved her eyes over the ancient looking book spines before turning back towards the balcony. Walking across the wooden floor, the young girl stepped out into the warm night air and laid her hands gently on the railing._

 _If the Devil is real, then God is real_

 _And if God is real_

 _Then his Angels are real_

" _And neither will let me die"_

 _Feeling the uncertainty in her voice as she whispered to herself, Piper slowly kicked off her Conserve sneakers as she turned back into the penthouse. Walking all the way back over to the desk, she turned and swallowed hard as she heard the silence around her._

 _Here goes nothing_

 _Taking off at a sudden sprint, she pumped her arms hard as she closed her eyes and threw herself over the edge of the balcony railing. Throwing her eyes open as she started to scream, she saw her brief life flashing before her eyes just as a pair of strong arms snaked around her body, absorbing the shock of hitting the pavement as she gulped for air._ _Panting quickly as she threw her eyes up and onto the face of the tall man who had caught her before her head smashed on the concreate, Piper felt her mouth falling open as Lucifer smiled._

" _I've saved you more times than anyone else in my entire existence" he smiled, holding her tight as he refused to let her feet touch the ground._

 _Feeling an intense sudden heat against her cheeks and below her bare feet, Piper moved her eyes away from Lucifer's face as she felt the scream catching in the back of her throat._

" _Yes, you don't want to put your feet down my dear, the flames will burn them clean off" he breathed moving his lips against her right ear as Piper clutched at the fabric of his dress shirt._

" _Wait…where are we going?" she cried out as Lucifer started walking away from the front doors of LUX._

" _Home, we had a deal remember?" he smiled, turning towards the heat and the flames of Hell as he held her tightly in his arms…_

" **AHHHHHHHHH!"**

Throwing her eyes open as she bolted upright with a scream, Piper scrambled backwards and felt the pain in her back as she slammed herself up against the wall. Reaching behind her, she grabbed the single pillow and whipped it across the room as she noticed she was still wearing her Converse shoes.

 _I'm alive…_

 _Aren't I?_

Looking down at her hands and touching the front of her chest and cheeks, she saw and felt no first, second, or third degree burns before she threw her hands up against her forehead.

 _My dreams are getting more and more…intense, for lack of a better word_ she noted taking a deep breath as she threw her eyes towards the window. Listening for any sounds of movement, breathing, or voices outside her closed door, she slowly moved her legs off the bed and stood tall.

 _You're eyes flashed red Lucifer Morningstar_

"Because you are the Devil" she mouthed, moving towards the window as she peeked around the blind and noticed the light of the sun reflecting off the side of the brick building across the street. Feeling the shiver running down her spine as she turned towards her door, she wondered if Lucifer had locked her inside, and as she came to stand at the closed bedroom door, she almost wondered if it was worth it to try the handle.

" _If you are the Devil, then what is Maze?"_

Slowly turning the handle, she pulled it open slightly catching the darkness of the hallway as she pushed it open just enough for her to fit through. Moving her eyes as she glanced down the length of the hallway, Piper turned and froze as her eyes fell on the woman in question as she leaned back in a chair with her long legs stretched out and propped up against the wall.

 _No, not a woman…_

"A Demon."

Hearing the young girl's cold whisper as she felt the corners of her dark painted lips twitching, Maze kept perfectly still as she listened to Piper's retreating footsteps down the hallway. Feeling the vibration of the floorboards as the girl approached the sharp corner that would take her out into the open floor of the penthouse, Maze leaned down quickly and pulled out a sharp knife from the inside of her boot. Turning slightly on her heel, Piper let out a scream as a sharp gust of air moved past her head, ending with a loud thud of a knife blade stabbing deep into the wall.

"And where do you think you are going?"

Throwing her eyes onto the face of Maze, the young teenager felt her pupils growing wide as she watched the Demon's smile growing wider while the flawless human skin around her jawline and cheeks started to peel back, revealing a twist of dark red flesh over decayed looking bones.

" _The flames of Hell. If you'd like, I can take you there one day?"_

Feeling a second scream catching in the back of her dry throat, Piper quickly whirled around just as she smacked into the hard chest of the Devil himself.

"Why, good afternoon Miss. Harlow" Lucifer smiled as he shot his hand out quickly, wrapping his fingers tightly around her wrist to prevent her from pulling away. Swallowing hard as she heard the creak of the chair in the hallway, Piper turned slightly and watched as the woman began to saunter across the floor as if it was her own personal catwalk. Flinging herself against Lucifer, Piper wrapped her arms tightly around his waist as she pressed the side of her face against his white Versace dress shirt. Hearing the slight scoff escaping from between his lips at such an intimate of gestures, he slowly brought his hands up to rest on her shoulders in an unfamiliar show of affection.

"She's…she's a demon!" Piper breathed in a shaky breath as she produced crocodile tears, staining wet the front of Lucifer's shirt as she felt the fingers of his right hand slowly lowering to make small drawn out circles along her shoulder blade.

 _He may be Satan, but I feel safe with him_

"Poor girl. Maze, are you frightening our little tenant?"

Hearing the man's taunting at her expense, Piper allowed his little victory as she hugged him tighter, feeling the warmth radiating off his body as the lapel of his dark navy blazer tickled against her cheek.

 _Keys_

 _You must have your keys_

"She's the one who left the bedroom. She needs to learn that there are things that go bump in the night" the Demon chuckled to herself as Lucifer slid his hands down to rest on Piper's arms.

"How about we sit down and have a little chit chat shall we?"

Slowly nodding her head as she felt his hands leaving her arms, Piper watched as Lucifer turned and started to walk towards the large wooden floor to ceiling bookcases before she noticed an antique looking desk with a Tiffany lamp situated near the left-hand corner.

"Sit."

Taking a seat behind the desk in the leather chair, Piper kept her eyes firmly fixed on the man as he poured himself a drink in a tumbler before grabbing an unopened glass bottle of Perrier water. Laying hands on the chair's armrests, the young girl sat perfectly still, never taking her eyes off the well-dressed man and his seemingly elegant movements.

"Who knows that you are the Devil?"

Twisting off the lid to the Perrier, Lucifer held it out towards her and nodded his head for her to accept it as he heard her question.

"Well now, Doctor Linda, Maggie, Maze, Trixie, and I suppose…you" he added, setting his eyes firmly on her face as she curled her fingers tightly around the glass bottle.

 _What or who is, a Trixie?_

"Now that you know who you are living with for the next four years, I want to know what exactly your plans are?"

 _My plans?_

"I need a job, but no one will hire me even at fast food until I'm at least sixteen" Piper began as Lucifer waved a single finger.

"I have no interest in your _human_ plans child…" he spoke slowly as he held out right hand in a bid to shake.

"I want to know what your plans are…spirituality."

 _Okay…_

"You, are the Devil, and you are asking me if I believe in God?" Piper questioned as she narrowed her eyes before setting the glass bottle untouched on the table.

"Do you believe that one can believe in the Devil and not the other?"

Hearing Lucifer's slight hesitation, she really had no answer to offer him.

"God was never there for me when I was arrested for stealing the basics to survive when my mother and step-father refused to buy them. God was definitely not in the kitchen of my house on Hood Avenue when my Step-father struck me across the face" Piper spoke slowly as she caught Lucifer's upper lip twitching.

 _Good_

 _I hope you feel some fucking remorse_

 _You told me to go home and accept my punishment_

"So, if I had to say yes or no, I would only say that God has a sick sense of humor and likes to watch his precious human creations destroy his planet and each other." Spying movement out of the corner of her eye as Maze leaned against the carved brick of the wall near the bookcase, she shifted slightly and ran her eyes firmly over the Demon's hands.

"I want to return to school."

 _Studious child_

"Then, go to school. No one residing within the shelter of these walls will stop you from doing anything. If you want to do something, good or evil, then go ahead and do it" Maze smiled as Lucifer ran a finger against his lower lip. Feeling the words forming on the tip of her tongue as she watched Maze smirk before glancing at Lucifer as he took a seat on the edge of his desk, she knew she had to ask before she lost her steeled nerve and the openness that each non-human before her seemingly presented.

"I'm sure the two of you do stuff and have done stuff that can be classified as evil"

Hearing the challenge in the girl's voice, Maze threw her head back and let out a deep laugh as Lucifer folded his arms across his chest.

"I believe we are talking about you" he spoke, fixing his gaze on her face as Piper slowly crossed her own arms over her chest, feeling the resting set of car keys and silently praying that both Devil and Demon were not gifted with superior hearing.

"And… _I_ want to talk about _you_ Mr. Morningstar."

"I punish you humans who take my Father's gift of free will too far."

It was all he said as he reached into his black pant pocket and pulled out the goat headed coin she had lifted off him and tried to pawn only days after they had first met.

"I've stolen, sworn, never respected my Mother, have taken God's name in vain almost daily and seem to be on a good track to disobeying nearly all ten commandments before I am able to get my driver's license. Does that mean that I am destined to go to Hell? Your pit of fire and brimstone?" Catching Maze's scoff as the Demon rolled her eyes before moving over towards the bar, Piper watched as she grabbed a glass bottle with no label, taking a generous sip from the communal mouthpiece.

"You really need to set the record straight on the image of home Lucifer. Constant fire and burning would melt even the best of liquid foundations off my face" she spat as Piper stared.

Hearing a slight creak as she caught movement from her left side, Piper nearly jumped out of her seat as she breathed in the light scent of Lucifer's cologne.

"One thing about me that you will learn in time, is that I never lie; not even if it would benefit me immensely. We agreed upon a deal Miss. Harlow and for the next four years, I will honor our little arrangement, though once you reach the age of eighteen, you will have to choose."

 _Choose?_

 _Choose what?_

"Choose what?"

Hearing the question that he knew was coming, Lucifer rose up from his seat on the edge of his desk and simply glanced towards the ceiling of the penthouse before moving his eyes onto Maze. "And ruin the grand finale? Run off to school little human and dismiss all those silly little notions you may have of what Hell really looks like. One day, I will show you what it is _really_ like."

Furrowing her brow as she processed his sentence, she swallowed hard as she realized the impact of his words and their earlier actions…

 _We shook hands._

 _I…did I make a deal with the Devil?_

 _Ten minutes later…_

Tugging on the black straps of her Jansport backpack over her shoulders as she stared at the blazered back of Lucifer Morningstar until the elevator door closed, Piper felt the pulling of gravity bringing her down to the lower floor of LUX as she slowly smiled to herself. Reaching into her pocket, she carefully pulled out Lucifer's set of keys and ran the tip of her thumb along the lettering of the 1962 Corvette key before painfully pressing the jagged teeth under the flesh of her nail.

 _Fucking silly little notions of what Hell really looks like_

Hearing the man's pompous accent spilling over in her head, the fourteen-year-old tightly clutched the collection of keys against the inside of her palm as she set her jaw hard.

"Let's go for a ride."

…

 _Huntington Park High School, 6020 Miles Ave, Los Angeles, California…_

 _3:23pm_

Pulling up to the side lot where posted signs clearly stated **Teacher Parking Only** , Piper smirked as she easily wheeled the dark Corvette into a spacious spot before throwing the vehicle into park.

"No…fucking…way!"

Smiling wider as she heard Andrea's high-pitched exclamation, Piper leaned an arm casually along the edge of the door as she felt her smile turning into a scowl upon spying Dylan bringing up the rear behind Jacob. Cringing as she watched Dylan dragging the fingers of his right hand along the crossed flag emblem on the shiny hood, she was about to tell him off as she heard a low whistle from the approaching teenage blond.

"Where in the fuck have you been? And where did you get this car?"

Hearing the bombardment of questions as all three students climbed into the Corvette, sliding over the plush seats, Piper ignored the dirt falling off their shoes as she threw the vehicle into gear.

"You get yourself a rich California sugar daddy Canada? Is that why you haven't been sitting in class, but laying by a pool?" Andrea smirked as Piper thought of the red lip stick, Louboutin wearing models that had been a constant presence throughout the penthouse and the alcove that was Lucifer's bedroom.

"Actually, it belongs to Lucifer Morningstar."

Slowing down for a red light at the intersection of Belgrave and Stafford, Piper felt all three pairs of eyes staring straight into her very soul as she waited for one of the them to try and call her out.

"I call mother fucking bullshit on that. This… **THIS** 1962 Corvette belongs to Lucifer Morningstar? The owner of LUX., the biggest asshole in Los Angeles …and here you are fourteen and driving it?" Andrea coughed out as Piper simply smiled.

"Yep."

"Jesus, did you steal it?"

Hearing Jacob's concern from the backseat as she caught Andrea rolling her eyes before scrolling through the radio dial, Piper smiled internally as she checked the review mirror before merging into the far-right lane of Seville Avenue.

"Well obviously she did."

"Actually, I took his keys out of his pocket when I was giving him a hug."

 _They are going to have themselves a shit fit if you don't start explaining your relationship to the man_

Hearing the lyrics to a catchy retro sounding song as Andrea cranked the volume dial as high as it would go, Piper slipped her sunglasses down over the bridge of her nose as she breathed in deeply…

 _In the crowd shouts are loud_

 _Will I ever find my way out_

 _I don't care cause you're here_

 _Our youth is all we have to give_

 _Our youth is all we have to give_

"Hugging…something" Dylan muttered as Jacob turned and slapped his friend's shoulder hard.

"I haven't been at school because my Mother…skipped town and left me. Lucifer Morningstar has kinda taken me in for the time being" she added, leaving out the four-year hand shake deal that had occurred at an outdoors Starbucks.

"Wait wait wait, you graffiti shit on the walls of his club, he catches you and threatens your life and somehow…he ends up taking over the role of Dad?" Andrea coughed as she felt Jacob's fingertips moving along the back of her bare neck.

"He's not my parent Andrea. I do whatever I want" Piper added as she tucked her chin into her chest.

 _He's also the fucking Devil if you didn't know_

…

 _LUX Nightclub, 6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

Reclining back in his leather chair as he tossed aside the over hundred-year-old hand written copy of _Macbeth_ down onto the desk top, Lucifer sneered as he stared at the written words that he had drunkenly spoken to the author as the dark mustached and balding Shakespeare quickly brought quill to paper as he announced that his writers block had finally reached it's end.

 _(Flashback)_

 _1608_

 _Blackfriars Indoor Theatre, London, England…_

" _Yes, Lucifer from the high heavens shall feature in my speech for all to hear. Malcolm shall speak of these words…" "My fears can't actually make you evil. Angels are still bright even though Lucifer, the brightest angel, fell from heaven. Even though everything evil wants to look good, good still has to look good too."_

 _Letting out a belch as he offered a smile towards a young dark-haired woman who had caught his eye, the Devil groaned as he heard the playwright's shrill voice speaking in a high tone with excitement._

" _Fine, whatever, use the words of my Mother for your little murder…"_

Tucking his chin into his chest as he moved a hand out and closed the fragile manuscript, Lucifer stared at the corner of a torn page as he remembered clearly, the presence of his Mother the Goddess of all Creation standing tall with a soft hand cupping his chin mouthing those very same words when he had learned of his Father's great disapproval.

"No wonder she tried to drown all of you in a one-hundred-and-fifty-day flood" he muttered, rising to his feet as he grabbed the book and tossed it back onto the shelve.

"Bloody copyright!"

Feeling the vibration of his mobile phone in his breast pocket, he dipped his fingers into his blazer and rolled his eyes as the caller identification showed a single word.

 **DETECTIVE**

"Good evening Detective…"

" **TRIXIE! I SAID NO MORE CHOCOLATE CAKE! YOUR TEETH ARE GOING TO ROT OUT OF YOUR HEAD!"**

Pulling the phone away from his ear as he shook his head, Lucifer laid the device on the desk and swiped his finger against the speaker phone option as he cleared his throat.

"And no, Maze is not coming over to baby sit you. She is never stepping foot in this house again. Your Father is coming over to get you…"

" **AHEM!"**

Hearing the commotion on the other end of the line cease as he finished clearing his throat, the Devil groaned as Trixie's childish voice kicked up a notch as she recognized his voice.

" **LUCIFER!"**

 _Kids_

 _Never liked them_

 _But they seem to be drawn to me_

 _A possibility of their future to come?_

"We have a case Lucifer. If you're not too busy with your piano playing or…smooching…meet me at San Julian Street south of 5th" Decker began as Lucifer sighed loudly.

"Could your dead body die in a more undesirable location?" he spoke with a bored tone as he tried to remember the last time, he had stepped foot in Skid Row.

 _Not since the mid-eighties I believe_

"Jesus Lucifer, remind me again of why us dating didn't work out?" Decker breathed as Lucifer cast his eyes down onto the keypad of the phone.

"Because you couldn't handle me."

Hearing the truth of his words as they slightly stung, he listened as Chloe Decker flustered a quick goodbye and confirmation of the address before ending the call.

 _Fifteen minutes later…_

Strolling out of the held open door as he tipped his head towards one of his doormen, Lucifer ignored the mixture of calls from the long line up of club goers who would not be stepping foot in his establishment. Rounding the corner of LUX as he lit a cigarette, his dark eyes landed on the empty parking space where his beloved Corvette had been consistently parked over the past five years. Catching sight of his valet Vincent rushing over looking dumbfounded and wringing his hands together, Lucifer sucked hard on the butt end of the cigarette that was now clamped down between his lips as he slowly reached into his pocket.

"Mr. Morningstar, I have no idea what happened…"

 _No keys_

Taking the cigarette out from between his lips, he let it drop to the ground ignoring it as it started to roll towards the curb as Vincent quickly stomped on it with the toe of his second-hand black dress shoe.

"Should I call the police Sir?"

Ignoring the shaking voice of his valet standing at his right elbow, Lucifer reached into his other pant pocket and pulled out his mobile phone. Scrolling through the nearly one hundred phone numbers, he settled on one specific that he had copied and brought the device up to his ear...

Feeling the vibration in her jean pocket, Piper slowed for a red light and pulled it out, keeping it low to avoid detection by any passing police. Feeling her lips slowly spreading into a smirk, she accepted the call and with one hand on the wheel, casually brought the speaker up to her ear.

"Why, good evening Mr. Morningstar."

Pursing his lips as he heard the young girl's relaxed words, Lucifer turned towards the mouth of the alley and watched as high-end cars drove slowly past LUX and its hopeful crowds amid all the electronic music sounding from speakers paid for by their rich parents.

"As far as I know, you do not have a driver's license" Lucifer spoke into the phone as he lit another cigarette between his lips.

"Ah, but I do have a driver's license. And while it may not be one hundred percent legal, as long as I don't crash, or fail to signal changing lanes, it should keep me on the road" Piper spoke as Lucifer picked up on other voices.

"Your gang of merry men?" he questioned as he tightened his grip around the device against his ear.

"Look at me, I'm Lucifer Morningstar! The biggest dickhead in all of LA!" Andrea shouted as Lucifer narrowed his eyes.

"Where are you?"

Hearing Lucifer's growl over the phone, Piper felt a cold shiver running over her shoulders as Andrea grabbed the device.

"We are the road to none of your fucking business and crossing the intersection of thanks for ruining my sister's life by firing her!" Handing the phone back to Piper as she slowed the Corvette, the young girl nearly fumbled it onto the floor as a car honked loudly at her swerve.

"I am embracing my choice of free will. Isn't that what we talked about earlier? Or tried to talk about?" she added, pressing down on the accelerator as they blew through a red light.

"Is this really how you want to test me Piper Elizabeth Harlow? Steal my Corvette and fuck up the clutch beyond repair?" Lucifer spat, tossing down the butt of his second cigarette as he casually checked the time on his wristwatch.

"I want to see what you are truly capable of Satan."

Hearing the words falling from her lips, she immediately regretted them as she shook her head.

 _Why the fuck would I say that?_

"You and your mafia posy shouldn't have a problem finding us" Andrea yelled out as Jacob and Dylan began to chant their high school football theme from the backseat.

"Oh, I _will_ find you gang of merry men and woman, and when I do…"

Hearing Lucifer's threat on the other end of the line, Piper pulled the phone away from her ear and ended the call as she powered down the device immediately.

"Think he'll call the police?"

Hearing Andrea's question as she took a curb roughly to cut across Whittier Boulevard that would eventually take them into the heart of downtown Los Angeles, Piper gripped the wheel with both hands as she checked the rearview mirror.

"He's more dangerous than the police Andrea" she breathed as her friend settled back against her seat.

"See! I fucking knew he had ties to the mob" she began as she caught Piper's head shaking.

"No, he's the Devil…"

Slipping his phone back into his pant pocket as Vincent stared at his employer with a look of forebode, Lucifer breathed out slowly as he concentrated with all his might to not throw a fist straight into the bricks of the far wall.

"Maze,"

Hearing his whisper as he felt a sudden rush of air at his side, he looked down and watched as his right-hand Demon licked her dark lips.

"God damn she was quite the little actress. That's the second time she has taken something clean off you" she tasted as she caught Vincent's eyes staring at her.

 _No time for you right now I'm afraid_ she smiled as she felt the thrilling mixture of emotion at the prospective of a human hunt.

 _Just say the words my Lord…_

Flashing his dark eyes red with intense flames, Lucifer felt the snarl crossing over his features as he watched Maze's fleshy exterior disappear.

"Find her Demon."

…

 _Luck, be a lady tonight_

 _Luck, be a lady tonight_

 _Luck, if you've ever been a lady to begin with…_

"Who the hell changed the radio station?"

Glancing down at the radio dial as she narrowed her eyes, Piper shook her head before raising her voice.

"No one."

"Okay, KIIS FM does **NOT** play fucking Frank Sinatra" Dylan moaned as he leaned forward and propped himself up and over the middle of the seat.

"Dylan, I said no one changed the station" Piper spat as the song lyrics sent a cold feeling all over her body.

 _A lady doesn't leave her escort_

 _It isn't fair, it isn't nice_

 _A lady doesn't wander all over the room_

 _And blow on some other guy's dice…_

"The radio is still set to KIIS…but…why would it be playing this song?" she whispered to herself as she suddenly slammed on the breaks of the Corvette hard, feeling her seat belt cutting painfully into her stomach as she heard everyone else's screams. Closing her eyes as she braced herself for impact, she felt a solid stop as she opened her eyes wide. Standing directly in front of the hood, Lucifer rested his hands easily on the emblem as Frank continued to sing.

 _Stick with me baby_

 _I'm the fella you came in with_

 _Luck, be a lady tonight…_

Freezing as she watched the Devil slowly rounding the corner of the Corvette to her side, Piper threw her eyes onto Andrea as she noticed Maze's hand closed around the girl's windpipe.

"Good evening Miss, Harlow and gang of merry men."

Slowly turning her head as she heard Lucifer's low purr, she didn't shy away as he leaned his face closer towards her, breathing in deeply as he flashed his eyes red.

"Would you give up your own human life for someone else's?"

Narrowing her eyes as the Devil leaned in closer towards her with his question, Piper held herself steady as she felt his hand moving along her seatbelt before he unbuckled the clasp.

"Why would I do something stupid like that?"

Hearing the young girl's words as he searched her eyes for the utter horrific terror he knew lurked somewhere from deep within, Lucifer slowly smiled as he roughly hauled her over the side of the Corvette with one hand before pulling back the flesh of his human face for all to see and behold.

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to BrookeWorm3, Aesir21, and Midori Yuki for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. MAY 8** **TH** **SEASON FOUR COMES OUT ON NETFLIX (happy dance : ) Forgive me please for not updating. I try to give equal attention to all of my stories, but sometimes the mood just strikes to write more for another. I do intend to keep up with this story. Cheers!**


	15. Chapter 14

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 14**

 **Song(s): I Get It Now (Fjord)**

" _Why would I do something stupid like that?"_

Hearing the words leaving her mouth, Piper shut her lips firmly as she watched Lucifer's mouth slowly spreading in a wide smile.

 _If he doesn't dissolve his care over you after tonight, he'll probably kill you_

 _Be certain of it_

Feeling his hand moving along the strap of her seatbelt, she uttered not a cry as he expertly and roughly hauled her over the driver side of the Corvette with one hand. Staring down into her face as he pulled back the human flesh for all to see.

Feeling her face draining of all color and blood, Piper felt his strong fingers releasing the front fabric of her shirt as she slumped down onto the ground, her back hitting the side of the Corvette with a thump. Watching Lucifer's black panted legs stepping around her, she kept her eyes down on the ground as she heard the Devil's chuckle.

"Gang of merry men I presume?"

Raising her head, Piper turned around and threw her eyes onto Lucifer's retreating back as the screams of all three of her friends rang out across the night. Moving her eyes onto Maze, she gulped as the demon revealed her own scarred face as she slowly twirled one of her Hell blades around between her fingers with expertise before slowly dragging it against Jacob's cheek.

"Let them go Lucifer! Deal with me instead!"

Turning around as he heard her cry, the Devil smiled as he folded his hands together.

"Oh, your turn is coming. Don't you worry little Piper."

…

 _Hollywood Sign, Mount Lee Drive, Los Angeles, Calif…_

Slowly opening her eyes as she felt a cool breeze across her face, Piper felt her blood run cold as she dug her fingernails painfully into the concreate beneath her.

"Stand up…"

Hearing Lucifer's deep accented growl, Piper re-closed her eyes and breathed in deeply before letting out a sharp yelp. Feeling Lucifer's strong hand wrapping around the flesh of her arm, she felt herself being hauled up and onto her feet as she glanced out over the blinking lights of Los Angeles.

 _Where are we?_

 _Where are Andrea, Jacob, and Dylan?_

"Where are we?"

Hearing Piper's question, he could hear the uncertainty in her voice as he felt her moving against his side.

"You are done asking any questions, now it's my turn human child."

Moving her eyes onto the Devil's profile, she gulped as the burnt dead looking flesh of his face concealed the handsome human skin and five o'clock shadow that he had worn everyday since she had first laid eyes on him inside his dark night club.

Sitting on a chair, waiting for him to turn her over to the police.

Wrenching her forward, Piper threw her hands out and gripped the fabric of his blazer as her eyes went wide.

 _He's going to kill me_

"Perhaps I will just let you fall, and continue to fall into the ashes of Hell."

 _Hell?_

 _Would I automatically go to Hell?_

Clutching tightly to his blazer, Piper screamed as she felt the concreate disappear beneath her feet before falling backwards through the night air. Feeling her scream ripping through her throat, she closed her eyes and waited for the deadly thud and the splitting of her skull just as she felt strong arms beneath her.

Throwing open her eyes, she stared up just as she was dropped to the ground with a soft thud.

"Tell me right now, who are you?"

Shrinking back as she scurried onto her ass, she stared into Lucifer's dark eyes as he moved to stand over her.

 _Where is everyone else?_

 _Did Maze hurt them? Kill them?_

" **ANSWER ME!"**

Letting out a scream as Lucifer's devil face flashed, all she could do was stare and plead silently for him to not kill her.

 _I don't want to die, not by your hands Lucifer_

"I don't know…what you want me to say..." Piper stuttered as she heard a long-distance scream that sounded from a cluster of trees behind her. Turning around quickly, she saw nothing but darkness as she felt Lucifer's shoe against her thigh.

"You are immune to my questioning. You are immune to my angel brother's ability to slow time, you are hiding something from me, and if you don't disclose it now…I will continue to pick you up and throw you off the forty-five foot drop of the Hollywood Sign, until I decide to no longer catch you."

Struggling to catch her breath as she rolled onto her knees, Piper held her dirty hands up in a plea as she saw nothing but horrific burning flesh once more consuming Lucifer's face.

"If I knew anything… **ANYTHING!** I would tell you. You are the only one who has ever given a shit about me and yes, I have done things to piss you off greatly, but…I don't want to jeopardize my time with you.

 _Don't want to jeopardize my time with you? What in the hell does that even mean?_

 _We made a deal that I would be under his care until I was eighteen. That's four more years, three and a half really…_

 _Then I'll have to choose_

 _Choose what?_

Clicking his tongue against the inside of his cheek, Lucifer started down at the young girl at his feet as he felt his anger rising once more.

"Not good enough."

Hauling her up once more, he ignored her loud protests as he held her close against his chest before leaping up and onto the flat surface of the second L of the Hollywood Sign.

 _I will throw you down until you die if you keep refusing to tell me what I desire little Miss Harlow_

Feeling her breath chocking against the back of her throat, Piper barely had a moment to regain her footing before Lucifer pushed her off the edge of the letter, sending her plummeting once more towards the deadly solid rocky ground.

" **LUCIFER! STOP THIS!"**

Hearing his brother's loud and thunderous voice from behind him, Lucifer jumped down to the ground and landed gracefully and solidly on his feet as he spun around and flashed his fire red eyes.

" **STAY OUT OF THIS AMENADIEL! YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE. NOW, I HAVE MINE!"**

Holding his arms out, he easily caught Piper's body and allowed her to fall awkwardly onto the dirty ground at his feet as he noticed her bloody nose.

"At least your blood confirms that you are indeed human" he growled, watching as Piper brought a dirty hand up against the dark red liquid beneath her nose. Wiping the back of her hand against the bottom of her shirt, she stared frozen at the wide dark grey wingspan of the angel as he stood tall, ready to challenge his brother.

"Torturing this child of our Father's won't satisfy anything Luci" the angel spoke as Piper felt the increasing pounding in her head as she heard another scream coming from the thick forest and walking trail before her.

"Watch and learn brother. Watch, and learn."

Feeling her eyes growing wide with paralyzing fear, Piper tried to shrink away from her position on the ground as she watched Lucifer taking out his stainless steel engraved lighter. Flicking the top open, she held her breath as he produced a flame with a smile.

"You'll talk now, I guarantee it" the Devil smiled as he strode over to the bottom of the forty five foot letter L. Watching the flames slowly surrounding the base, Piper felt her mouth going instantly dry as the flames started to lick, caress, and climb towards the sky before spreading. Feeling the building intense heat of the flames as he stood tall and with a proud dark smile, Lucifer slowly turned and sat his glowing red eyes upon the frozen face of the fourteen-year-old teenager. Stalking towards her, he reached down and hauled her up to her feet before dragging her alongside him. Feeling her trying to pull away, he brought her to stand directly in front of him as he held her back tight and close against his chest.

"Oh yes. I can feel your utter terror running through your entire body. Every extremity, every nerve is standing straight up" he purred as he held her firmly against him.

 _Daddy is yelling at Mummy again_

 _He's always angry with her_

 _Please baby Jesus, don't let him hit her again…_

"Don't do this Luci…"

"Shut up brother. This, is my show now" the Devil spoke feeling the corners of his lips twitching with a small smile.

"If I had to create your own personal Hell, flames would be fitting it seems" he spoke against Piper's ear as she refused to speak a single word.

"Flames, fire, and…"

"Death…"

Perking his ears up as he heard her finally speak, Lucifer smiled widely as he brought his chin to rest against the side of her face. Feeling the scruff of his chin against the smoothness of her cheek, Piper closed her eyes and felt the heat of the flames as she spied a pair of black dress shoes walking towards her. Slowly clutching her fingers into fists, she flexed again and frowned as she felt something missing.

 _Blankie, Daddy's fired his gun again_

Digging the heels of her shoes into the ground, she tried to push back against Lucifer as he held her steady against the front of his chest.

"Going somewhere?" he whispered as she angled her head in a bid to hear his words clearer.

"She's afraid of the flames Lucifer."

Freezing as he listened to her low words, he furrowed his brow as he felt her shifting against him.

"Yes, I can see that brother, but she's not my problem you see."

Feeling his eyes go wide as he heard her English accented words as clear as day that almost mirrored his own, the Devil spun the young girl around to face him as he stared down and into her hazel eyes.

What stood before him, was not a child

Was no longer a child

But a girl who teetered on the edge of adolescence and adulthood. A girl who was afraid of the fire and the flames that licked and danced not more than ten feet away in distance, threatening to engulf and overtake a monumental piece of Hollywood history and lore.

A girl whom he had saved when God would have let her die

A girl that had watched her Father wield a shotgun at will who took away her Mother, but had brought a Devil in her call.

A girl, that belonged to him in a handshake of a deal that would eventually require a further pact and life changing decision.

"Eventually you will die and when the time comes on your eighteenth birthday, you will have to choose if you will be with me or…with Him."

Swallowing hard as she struggled to keep her dry eyes open with the heat and intensity of the flames growing closer, she knew he wouldn't allow her to faint and fall to the ground at his feet.

 _He'd hold me up_

"It all depends on who you believe, loves you most."

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to Nurisilliel, YuYuHakushoObsesser, Aesir21, BrookeWorm3, Kv1n20, FricHydra for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. The song that I chose, I Get It Now by Fjord, really spoke to me as I wrote this chapter. Maybe have a listen?**


	16. Chapter 15

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, Netflix, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 15**

 **Song(s): The Lupine Waltz (The Real Tuesday Weld), It's My Party (Lesley Gore), Feeling Good (Nina Simone)**

" _Eventually you will die and when the time comes on your eighteenth birthday, you will have to choose if you will be with me or…with Him…"_

Gasping for air as she threw her eyes open, Piper quickly rolled over and dry heaved over the edge of the unfamiliar bed as she felt the awful dryness in the back of her throat.

 _Fire_

 _Flames_

 _Smoke_

 _Screams_

"He kept pushing me off, off of the Hollywood sign" she whispered, bringing a dirty hand up against her forehead as she touched at her temples.

 _He was never going to kill me_

 _He just wanted to punish me_

 _Because he is the Devil_

Sitting up slowly as she blinked to try and wet her dry eyes, she froze at the light shuffling of footsteps on the other side of the closed bedroom door. Throwing her eyes around the sparsely decorated room, she had no time to throw herself off the bed to grab a vase when the door slowly opened to reveal a smiling Linda Martin, trying to balance a wooden tray in one hand and a white mug of coffee in the other.

"Good morning Piper."

Keeping her mouth firmly shut, the young girl crossed her legs before staring down at the dark dirt that was buried beneath her fingernails.

 _Lucifer's Therapist_

"I'm not sure if you drink coffee, but I have tea if you prefer even though you are only fourteen and starting a serious caffeine addiction…"

"Coffee is fine."

 _I wonder what she would say if I told her Lucifer and Maze freely allow me access to alcohol?_

 _And being the good expensive stuff_

Reaching out, she took the mug and cradled it between both her dirty hands as she watched the Doctor take a light seat on the edge of the bed, setting the tray to rest beside her.

"I take it, I am in your home?"

Nodding her head, Linda adjusted the bottom rim of her black glasses as she pushed the tray closer towards the teenager's crossed legs.

"Yes. Lucifer brought you here, at three this morning."

Hearing his name, Piper snapped her head up and felt the blood draining from her face as she stared into Linda's face.

"He, wouldn't tell me anything when he walked into my house with you slung over his shoulder. He simply dumped you onto this bed, and walked back out before I had the chance to put on my glasses."

"Where…is he?"

Moistening her lips, Linda shook her head as Piper felt her stomach sink.

"He's gone."

Staring blankly as Linda's words hit her like a solid, knockout to the stomach, Piper felt her fingers numbing as she managed to set her cup down on the bedside table with only half of its contents sloshing out and onto the comforter and carpeted floor.

 _He's dumped me off_

 _I pushed him too far_

 _He's had enough of my childish, foolish bullshit_

 _And now he's left me on my own_

 _In Los Angeles…_

"Gone. Gone..gone…"

Narrowing her eyes behind her thick rimmed glasses as she watched Piper tucking her legs up into her chest, Linda began to furiously shake her head as she quickly reached a hand out against the comforter.

"OH! Oh no no no….by gone I mean he said something about having to go price a clutch?"

Letting out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding, Piper blinked quickly as she quickly rose to her feet, throwing a hand out against the wall as she felt light headed.

"You should sit and eat something. Here, I'll bring this out to the kitchen. I've laid out a towel in the bathroom if you want to shower? Maybe, get some of the dirt off you?"

 _Fifteen minutes later…_

Trying her best to untangle her freshly washed hair with her fingers, Piper stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror as she spied a bruise starting to form against the side of her throat. _From when you hauled me over the door of the corvette_ she remembered, looking down at the scraps on both her palms from when she had tried to scramble up and onto her feet before feeling the loss of gravity as she continuously fell off the Los Angeles landmark.

"I'm afraid of the flames Lucifer."

Watching her mouth forming the words as she spoke with a slight waver to her voice, she heard a door slamming from somewhere in the house as she tried to tune in to the muffled conversation that grew in volume.

"She completely froze when I told her you were not here. She was…"

"Who doesn't feel the loss of my presence?"

"That's not what I mean Lucifer. I thought she had almost stopped breathing…"

Hearing Lucifer's accented voice, she pulled the bathroom open and walked slowly down the hallway as she smelled fresh coffee. Rounding the corner of the kitchen, her eyes fell on a draped black blazer that hung off the back of a chair as she heard Linda's throat clear. Glancing to her right, she looked up and felt her stomach sink as Lucifer's dark eyes stared down at her from over the edge of his coffee mug. Striding up to the Devil, she threw her arms around his waist and held on tight, pressing the side of her cheek against the fabric of his shirt as Lucifer let out a sharp curse, nearly dropping his cup. Laying his free hand on the young girl's shoulder, he caught Linda's eye as she offered a small smile.

"Feeling guilty for something?"

Feeling Piper squeezing his waist tighter, he tapped his fingers against her shoulder as she pulled back.

"Nothing kept in my blazer pockets for you to steal anymore child. Everything, is in the pants" he winked, catching her wiping the back of her hand against her cheek.

 _She's crying…._

 _Over me_

"I thought…you had left me."

Hearing the rawness in her voice, Lucifer simply stared down into her face as he remembered easing her off his shoulder and onto the spare bed before taking off in the early hours.

"Very and I mean very, rarely do I back out of a deal Miss. Harlow" he spoke, catching her eye as she refused to blink.

"You don't have to keep honoring it."

Scoffing as he heard her words, Lucifer inched the coffee mug up to his lips as he heard Linda's chair scrapping against the floor.

"And lose a soul?"

"Lucifer!"

Walking around the teenager who stood as still as stone, his eyes fell on Linda as she crossed her arms over her chest. Setting his mug on the counter near the edge of the sink, the Devil nodded his head before sighing.

"Eat something so we can go home if you please?"

…

 _LUX Nightclub, 6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

 _Three hours later…_

Hearing the musical notes coming from the black and white keys of the piano sitting in the middle of the dance floor, Piper leaned her sore shoulder against the dark wall of the nightclub as she listened.

 _Why does it always sound like he is playing something sad whenever I am around, or about to come around?_

"I know you are there Miss. Harlow."

Blinking quickly as she heard Lucifer's shout, she swallowed hard before slowly rounding the corner. Glancing down at the seated figure, she shoved her hands into the front pockets of her oversized grey Lululemon hoodie as she walked down the winding staircase.

Giving a quick glance, he watched his young charge walking slowly towards him as he winced at the off sound of the high note key as he tapped it three times in a row.

"Sounds like, it needs to be tuned" Piper spoke flatly as Lucifer met her eyes briefly.

"My guy, is late. I hate…late."

Listening to the notes as they danced around the air like an intimate waltz, she kept her distance as she returned her eyes down to the floor at her feet.

"I remember, what you did to me last night Lucifer."

"It was quite a performance so I should hope, that you would retain some memory of it" he spoke as an LA Times newspaper with a colored cover shot of a flamed Hollywood Sign front and center was thrown down onto the top of the piano from an unseen force as the Devil continue to play, his lips twitching.

"Be a good little Demon Maze, and pour myself and the child a good stiff drink. We are finally going to have…the talk."

Moving her eyes over her shoulder, the young girl watched as the black leather clad Demon expertly poured into two tumblers without measurement. Stiffening as she watched her walking towards her, Piper was careful to not touch Maze's fingers as she stared at the one finger measure of Whiskey.

"Just one finger?"

Sitting back on the bench, Lucifer reached for his own tumbler as he held it up in a mocking cheer.

"Have you forgotten that you are still, just a child?"

Stiffening her back as she heard him referring to her as a child for the second time, Piper pursed her lips as she downed the entire contents of her glass in one gulp as she sat the tumbler bottom on the lid of the piano before sliding it towards the seated Devil. "I'm actually turning fifteen in less than a month" she growled, as Lucifer smirked before replacing his fingers on the black and white keys. Slowly playing the notes with added flourish, he caught her eye as he recognized her pissed off expression.

"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to cry if I want to cry…. if I want to…." He sang with a smirk.

"I won't be a child forever Lucifer Morningstar" she breathed lowly, as he heard her growl.

"No, you won't."

Shutting her mouth firmly at his quick words, she watched as he continued to play before hitting another out of tune note. Turning on her heel, she made her way back towards the staircase just as she felt his arm bumping against her shoulder.

"And where do you think you are going?"

Jumping as she felt Lucifer's breath against her ear, Piper moved against the wall as Lucifer glanced at her with narrowed eyes.

"You pushed me off the Hollywood sign. You pushed me towards flames of fucking fire!" she spat, balling her fists along the sides of her thighs as Lucifer breathed in deeply.

"You recoil from my presence like a common human being" he growled, watching the young girl's eyes growing wide. "But you are not a common human being" he added in whisper as Piper leaned against the wall of the club.

"What in the fuck does that mean?"

"Come along little Piper, let's go for a drive, shall we?"

…

 _Miles Ave, Los Angeles, California…_

Keeping her hands folded in her lap, Piper kept her gaze firm on the passing houses and alleyways as she recognized Miles Avenue. Spying the corner of her high school, she turned and looked over her shoulder as she spied students smiling, laughing, and relaxing on the grass with their backpacks tossed casually around them.

 _I haven't been to school in about a month…_

 _Or, has it been longer?_

 _Will I ever go back?_

"Reminiscing about your fast times at Ridgemont High?"

Hearing Lucifer's joking taunt from the driver's seat, Piper kept her mouth shut as she turned back around in her seat and stared at the school building until it disappeared from sight behind an abandoned convenience store.

 _What happened to you Andrea, Jacob, Dylan?_

Closing her eyes, she shivered as she remembered Maze's hollowed out demonic face with its peeled back dead flesh and exposed charred bone looming over her terrified friends.

 _Nothing about her and Lucifer's human like appearance is real_

 _It's all a façade_

 _But this is no fucking dream_

"You owe me a new clutch by the way"

 _Add it to my tab_

Feeling the down shifting of gears of the Mercedes AMG GT C Roadster as she recognized Hood Avenue, Piper shifted uncomfortably she counted the houses lining the right hand side of the street.

"You're going to work it off."

"Trust me, I want a job but I'm not…"

"Tonight, you are going over to the Detective's to watch over her offspring.

 _The same Detective who thinks I am your niece?_

"Babysitting? I've never babysat before."

"This one, may give you a run for your money of which will be coming directly to me once it's given to you."

Looking down into her lap, Piper almost thought to lying about her age on her next job application when another thought popped into her head.

"What happened to my friends?"

"Friends?"

Hearing his scoff as they slowed down and parked outside the white bungalow, she was pretty sure he and Maze would not have killed Andrea, Jacob, and Dylan, though she couldn't be entirely one hundred percent sure.

"Why are we here Lucifer?"

"You are saying goodbye to this shit hole and everything inside, never to return."

"Maze already brought me here to grab my things" she confirmed as she pushed open her door.

 _My life is made up of a few things_

 _Shitty, cheap things_

Reaching the front door, she spied the still attached caution tape from the last time she was here and frowned as she tried to push open the door.

"Allow me?"

Pushing open the door with enough force that the hinges all fell off, the Devil stepped aside and swept a hand through.

"We will talk inside starting with…"

 _Ten minutes later…_

Following four steps behind as Piper walked down the narrow-graffitied hallway, Lucifer reached into his right inner blazer pocket and pulled out a silver cigarette case before placing one to rest between his lips. Catching sight of an off drawn pentagram in black on the half-closed bathroom door, he scoffed as he rubbed the edge of his thumb against his lighter.

 _Desperate wannabe wankers_

Pushing open the door to her bedroom, the young girl sucked in a deep breath as she observed the destruction of her former bedroom. Garbage littering the floor, stains on the bare mattress, used needles and the remnants of a small fire in the far-right corner greeted her eyes as she sniffed at the air.

 _That smell_

Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes watched as Lucifer Morningstar stood just inside the threshold of the bedroom, slowly breathing out smoke from a lit cigarette. Flicking ash onto the floor, he closed his eyes and leaned the back of his head against the cool wall as he began to hum the tune to a very familiar song.

 _That's Nina Simone_

"The night I came here to retrieve my Pentecostal coin from your thieving fingers, I stood here and watched you sleep."

Hearing his admission to breaking into her house and bedroom, Piper swallowed hard as she looked back at her bare mattress, the drug paraphernalia and fast food wrappers that were littered on the bedside table.

 _I remember when I woke up, that I couldn't find the coin_

"Do you sit in random people's rooms just for fun?" she challenged, feeling less ease as Lucifer tossed his cigarette onto the floor before mashing it with the sole of his shoe.

"Since the beginning of time," he replied honestly. "Since our first meeting, you have fascinated me. Still do as of right now" he added, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the young teenager as she kicked at a beer bottle with the toe of her Doc Martin boot.

"Who introduced you to Nina Simone?"

Shaking her head as she caught her reflection in the broken shards of the vanity mirror to her left, Piper exited the room as Lucifer followed behind.

"Myself. I use to go into Toronto from Ajax all the time. Spending time at coffee shops, I heard her over the speakers one day. Pissed my mother off something fierce whenever I would run off as she called it."

"On your own?"

 _Toronto isn't even my home anymore_

 _I may never ever go back there_

 _For the next four years, well three and a half, my home is with you Lucifer Morningstar_

"Yes, on my own. Being on my own doesn't bother me."

 _So, I have noticed_

Entering the kitchen, Piper spied a set of used hot knives laying against the large burner of the stove as she winced.

" _You have some fucking nerve coming into this house if you think you still live here…"_

Hearing her step-father's voice, she straightened her back to her full five-foot eight-inch height and reached up to touch her cheek.

"This is where Jim hit me, and my mother essentially gave up on me" she spoke, hearing a low growl coming from Lucifer's throat.

" _I've tried to do everything I could for you Piper…"_

 _Like shit you did_

"I ran out of this house and vowed never to return under their roof" she whispered, stepping around a pizza box that had been trampled on. Glancing up into Lucifer's face, she could see he was mulling something over in his mind as he locked eyes with her.

" _Tell me Darlene what is it that you truly desire?"_

" _To be rid of her…"_

"Tell me I am not wrong to never want to see my mother again Lucifer? That the fact I am standing in this house and she appears to be long gone?" Piper questioned, watching as the Devil took out another cigarette from his case.

"I may, have had a little something to do with that."

Hearing his voice in between his puffing out smoke, Piper felt all the blood leaving her face as she shoved her hands into her pockets.

"What…does that mean?"

Kicking aside the pizza box as he walked up to the sink, Lucifer glanced down at the drain as he remembered throwing down bundles of money.

"After your little family drama, I paid a visit here."

"What kind, of visit?"

"Well for one, _I_ was the one who blew in the front door to your house and sent your step-father to the hospital where he still resides."

Hearing his admission as she remembered the yellow police caution tape and the busted wooden frame, she crossed her arms over her chest as she watched him moisten his lips once more.

"I may have also, paid off that woman acting as your mother to leave the state and never have contact with you again."

Feeling her mouth dropping, she simply stared up at the five o'clock shadowed jaw of Lucifer Morningstar and suddenly regretted ever getting into the car with him.

"What, do you mean by 'acting as your mother?'"

"What I mean Miss Harlow, is that you were adopted ten years ago in Toronto, Ontario Canada after I saved your life from a fire and dropped you off at the front doors of a hospital."

Hearing deafening silence settling in all around her in the empty bungalow as Lucifer tossed his cigarette into the sink basin, Piper stared with wide eyes as she tripped over her words.

"I…"

"And that, is why you can summon me just by thinking or saying my name. I hear you, because you are tied to me. Because I chose to save your life."

 _What in the fuck is he talking about?_

 _This isn't funny anymore Lucifer_

Spinning around on the heel of her boot, she felt her lips pursing as she watched Lucifer leaning back against the closed kitchen door, his eyes giving a quick flash of red.

 _In the blink of an eye, he can move_

 _Is that how you managed to grab me in the alleyway behind your club?_

"So, what you felt adventurous enough to pretend you were a firefighter and rescued me from a house fire in your spare time from being the Devil?" she challenged, catching his eyes flashing red once more with her words.

"I only just found out who the hell you are…"

"Yeah? Then who _am_ I Lucifer Morningstar?" she blurted, standing still as she watched him slowly stalking towards her like she was prey.

"You are the daughter of a reformed drug addict. A friend of mine once upon a time, who was shot dead by an asshole of a dealer your father, in a sixth-floor brick walk up apartment in Chinatown."

 _A woman whom I helped, but ultimately failed in the end…_

" _You've always been there for me Lucifer, and while I appreciate it, Lola and I are going to be moving back to Ottawa and in with my parents and away from Tom..."_

"You saw it all. The shot gun, the broken glass, the drugs, the flames, and me…Lola Cross."

Feeling as if she had been violently kicked in the stomach as she heard the name Lola, Piper ducked beneath his arm and tore off down the hallway towards the front door.

 _Chinatown_

 _Is that why I always felt the desire to escape to Toronto?_

 _Because that's where my story began?_

 _Because that's where I was saved by the Devil when I should have been dead?_

 _Is my name Lola?_

 _Is it?_

Ripping open the front door, she yelped as the handle was easily pulled out of her hand. Jumping back, she felt Lucifer's strong hands grabbing her upper arms as she tried to twist out of his impossible grasp.

" **YOU ARE FUCKING LYING!"**

 _My mother_

 _My father_

 _A drug addict and a dealer and me in the middle?_

Screaming at the top of her lungs, she felt her cheek pressing against the front of his expensive shirt as she felt herself going numb all over.

"Believe it or not, it is a big deal to have the Devil save a human life. I could have walked away from you, but I didn't. Did I feel sorry for you? A bit. Did I save you to spit in the eye of my Father? Yes. But ever since the day you sat in that chair in my club, you have fascinated me" he spoke, holding her tightly as Piper kept her eyes closed.

"Let's go home Miss. Harlow."

Nodding her head as she felt Lucifer pulling away from her, she quickly darted around him and threw herself down the steps as she took off running into the darkness as fast as she could.

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to musicluver246, kyloren'sgirl213, dragonegyptianblue, aesir21, brookeworm3, kv1n20 for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **P.P.S. Sorry for not updating. It felt like I had been working on this chapter for like, ever! LOL**


	17. Chapter 16

I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, Netflix, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

 **Chapter 16**

 **Song(s): Guinevere (Cruel Black Dove)**

 _2929 E Florence Ave, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California…_

Leaning her shoulder against the brick siding of a run-down convenience store, the young teenager doubled over and coughed something fierce before spitting on the ground. She had never run so far or so fast in her entire life and as she slowly rounded the corner of the store, she felt intense hunger pains as she spotted a Papa John's Pizza.

 _You fucking idiot_

 _You ran from him_

 _You ran from the only person in this entire world that has bent over backwards to help you_

Raising her eyes and focusing on the graffitied _**TEMPO**_ sign that laid forgotten and dirty on the edge of the grassy sidewalk, she kicked it hard and heard a chuckle from her immediate right in the shadows.

"Hey kid, take it easy on the sign,"

Spying two shadows slowly turning into three moving along the side of the brick wall, Piper felt her hands balling into fists as she watched three men emerging from the alleyway.

"You wanna have some fun?"

"Fuck you."

Striding down the sidewalk, she glanced over her shoulder and spied the three men walking some distance behind her as she sped up in her steps.

 _He's not watching over you Piper_

 _No one, is watching over you_

"Come have pizza with us! We have a little something extra stashed away to wash it down!"

Breaking out into a run, she dashed out into the street and ignored the car horns as she pumped her arms fast.

 _You only have yourself, to watch over you now_

…

Tightening his grip on the black leather steering wheel, Lucifer tossed the butt end of his cigarette over the edge of the driver's side door as he cruised through a yellow light.

"Diana…Diana….Diana…" he breathed steadying his gaze onto the road ahead as he remembered the first time he had met the young woman.

 _(Flashback)_

 _Toronto, Ontario, Canada_

 _Fourteen years earlier…_

 _Flipping his silver Pentecostal coin up into the air, the Devil scowled as it landed once more goat head side up in the palm of his hand._

" _Bloody goat…"_

" _Excuse me, are you Lucifer Morningstar?"_

 _Turning around slightly, his dark eyes fell on a pair of greens as he breathed in deeply._

" _The rumors are true my dear, but I am not in a giving mood at this moment" he spoke, returning to his glass of Bourbon as the woman took a seat next to him on a bar stool. Raising his glass against his lips, he took a generous gulp before holding it out to his neighbor._

" _Enjoy." Rising to his feet, he felt the woman's hand gripping his arm as he stared down into her face once more, noticing the fading bruise around her right eye._

" _I was told to speak to you about a job?"_

 _Feeling his lips twitching as he moved his eyes down onto her growing pregnant bump, Lucifer took a step backwards and chuckled to himself._

" _Sorry, no place in my…earthly kingdom for an abused, expecting drug addict" he snarled, catching the woman's eye as she moistened her dry lips._

" _I'm clean. Ever since I found out I was pregnant, but I need a job."_

" _Who told you to come here?"_

" _I heard a rumor that you help people" Diana Cross challenged as she moved a hand down against her bump._

" _What makes you think I would help you? When you obviously can't seem to help yourself?" Lucifer questioned as he watched her eyes lower to her stomach._

" _Because Mr. Morningstar, I need to give my baby daughter a better life than what I have right now…"_

Slamming his foot down on the brake of the Mercedes Roadster, Lucifer let out a string of curses as the sportscar screeched to a halt in the middle of the road, inches from where Amediedial stood.

" **I REFUSE TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER HIGH-END AUTOMOBILE BROTHER!"**

Throwing open his door as he shouted into the empty street, Lucifer roughly pulled out his lighter and shoved another cigarette between his lips.

"Aren't you worried about Piper, Luci?"

Puffing deeply before breathing out a mouthful of smoke towards his Brother, the Devil took a seat on the hood of the vehicle as a car behind him laid on the horn. Stretching his hand out to wave him by, he sneered as the driver flipped him the finger.

"The child is making it a habit, running from me. Though something tells me, that she will come back."

 _She always comes back_

 _She has no choice_

"You are not the most exemplary guardian Luci."

"She is starting to cramp my style."

"Your style? As in casual sex all over every square inch of your penthouse? Drinking and smoking at all hours?"

Ignoring his Brother's judgmental stare as he puffed away on his cigarette, Lucifer rolled his eyes as he watched Amediedial's wings spreading open.

"Then get rid of her. Send her on her way back to Canada."

Tossing his cigarette at the angel's feet, he watched as his Brother took flight into the dark sky.

"I need a fucking drink."

…

 _LUX Nightclub,_ _6868 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California…_

Feeling the chill of the late-night air settling deep in her bones, Piper raised her tired eyes onto the dark, unlit letters of the LUX sign as she stood in front of the dark glass doors. Knowing they would be locked tight; she walked around the corner of the building and brought her eyes onto the brick siding.

"It all started with me de-facing your club" she whispered to herself as she stopped dead in her tracks.

 _No_

 _It all started with him rescuing me from an apparent fire_

Focusing her eyes forward as she rounded the corner, stepping around the same dumpster that had stood in her way the day she had broken out into a failed hundred-meter dash, Piper felt the wetness stinging at the corners of her eyes as she stood at the closed metal door.

 _Do I really believe that what he told me is true?_

Hearing the words in her head as she thumbed in the digits that would unlock the door, she felt the cool air against her face as she tucked her chin into her chest.

" _Why would I not believe him?_

 _He's never lied to me_

Feeling sick to her stomach as she walked down the dark hallway towards the elevator that would lead to the penthouse, Piper inched towards the open doorway of the club and took in the silence all around her.

 _A place where many come to let loose_

 _Where many come to hook up_

 _Where many come, to ask the Devil for a favor…_

 _(Flashback)_

" _I'm offering you a deal Piper Harlow."_

" _Something I sign on the dotted line?" she questioned, catching his grin._

" _I've upgraded from feather and ink to a solid handshake" he replied, watching her thinking over his offer._

" _And who would I be if I didn't live up to my name…"_

"Lucifer,"

Gulping hard as she turned back towards the elevator, Piper shivered as she stepped inside, watching the doors closing shut. Feeling the lift taking her up to the top floor, she held her breath and watched as more darkness met her arrival.

 _No one is here_

"Are you out looking for me Lucifer?" Wrapping her sweatered arms around herself as she walked across the floor and onto the wide-open balcony, Piper stared across the downtown landscape as she listened to angry car horns and distant police sirens.

"If anything, he's probably out with a hot blonde box dyed woman…or two" she noted shivering as she felt a tear running down the side of her left cheek.

 _What, are you jealous or something?_

 _You're fucking fourteen years old_

 _A teenager_

 _A minor_

Walking back into the penthouse, she strode up to the Steinway piano and with a second's pause, sat down lightly on the black bench. Gently brushing her fingertips over the key guard, she slid it back and laid her fingers down with a feathered touch.

 _Would I ever ask him to teach me how to play?_

 _He's the Devil Piper, he could teach you so many things_

Feeling her lips twitching in a smirk at the thought, she rose to her feet and moved towards the lit-up bar shelves that held everything a seasoned alcoholic or connoisseur could ever wish for. Grabbing a bottle labeled with an elegant scrawl that looked to be German, she ignored the tumblers and shot glasses as she left the dim light to stand once more in darkness. Staring straight ahead towards the dark alcove of Lucifer's bedroom, she glanced down the twisted hallway that would lead to her own bedroom as she twisted open the lid to the glass bottle.

 _He advocates drinking_

Gulping down a generous mouthful, she felt the burn at the back of her throat as she stepped past the threshold of the alcove.

 _Go no farther, you've found your monster_

 _I am the Guinevere_

 _I wish you would just leave me here_

 _This is not a suicide_

 _I am not taking my life_

 _I committed these crimes_

 _I don't deserve a sliver of life_

Replaying the lyrics of the song she had heard at the basketball court earlier playing over and over in her head, Piper cleared her throat as she took another swig from the bottle. Circling the perfectly made up black sheeted bed, she stood at the curtained window and stared down into the street.

 _He is telling the truth_

Watching a police cruiser with its red and blue lights flashing widely speeding past the club, Piper tucked her chin into her chest before taking another sip from the bottle in her hand.

"So, what in the hell, happens now?"

…

 _4:16am_

Feeling the blonde woman's red lips kissing along the side of his neck as the elevator doors spread open with a low ding, Lucifer wrapped an arm firmly around her waist as he watched her toss her purse down towards the beige couch.

 _Well now, just make yourself at home_ he sneered to himself as his eyes flashed red with the sight of her well-toned legs being freed from her skimpy black halter dress. Waltzing towards the dimly lit bar, the Devil easily grabbed two glass tumblers with his thumb and forefinger before taking down a bottle of Vodka. Turning back around with a seductive smirk on his lips, Lucifer felt the velvety purr growing in the back of his throat as he took a step towards his evening guest.

"Come to…Papa?"

Freezing in his words, he sucked in a deep breath before angling his head slightly right.

 _Breathing?_

 _Snoring?_

Staring into the darkness of the alcove that led into his bedroom, he narrowed his eyes and nearly dropped the tumblers as he heard his name being repeated on the lips of his guest. Stepping slowly towards his bedroom, he stopped just over the threshold and scoffed as he took in the sight before him. Staring down at the curled-up human lump beneath his black bedsheets, he leaned his shoulder against the carved intricate stone of the wall as he watched the young girl's chest rising and falling with every breath.

 _So,_ y _ou've returned_

"Lucifer…where are you?"

Wincing at the off-key sing song voice coming from the living room, Lucifer felt his lips twitching as he spied a bottle of Reiner Mösslein sitting near the edge of the bedside table.

"It seems, that I already have a guest in my bed" he whispered, setting his own bottle down on the table before turning around. Setting the tumblers down on the lid of the piano, he stooped low and picked up the discarded purse and dress before coming to stand in front of his naked house guest.

"Put your clothes back on my dear and check to make sure your lipstick didn't roll out onto the floor" he smiled, catching the confusion spreading over the woman's face.

"You…want me to leave?" she sputtered, slipping her dress down over her head as she slammed her feet back into her high heels.

"Leave, go, depart, vamoose…yes" he breathed, escorting her by the upper arm towards the elevator.

"Wait a minute…is there already someone in your bed? I didn't agree to a threesome" the woman broke out as the elevator door dinged.

"No one that would you should have any concern about" he offered, shoving her away from him as he gave a small wave good-bye. Slowly turning around on his heel, the Devil moved to stand beside his piano before tapping the tips of his fingers against the lid.

"I need a good stiff drink," Hearing his words for a drink a second time, he sighed while entering his bedroom switching on the lamp and grabbing her half empty bottle before taking a solid gulp. Letting out a sharp breath between his teeth and feeling the bite against the back of his throat, Lucifer brought two fingers up and unfastened the top three buttons of his black dress shirt as he sighed heavily.

"I didn't sign up for a cockblock for the next four years," he growled in a low tone. Slipping off his blazer, he draped it over the young girl's shoulders, watching as she stirred slightly. Moving over to a cushioned chair near the open window, he stared out over Los Angeles as he took another sip from the German Whiskey bottle.

"I may have saved your life, but I am not your Father. Nor do I have any desire to be." Taking a heavy seat, his eyes quickly flashed red as he sat the bottle onto the floor near his foot. Feeling a gust of wind against his shoulder, he heard the bottle knocking sharply against the floor as he let out a quiet sigh.

"Twice in one-night Brother, how lucky can I possibly be?" he growled, moving his arm off the chair edge as Amenadiel folded his hands across his front, tucking his dark wings back into his shoulder blades.

"The child will be tested Luci. She will watch you; she will see you…"

"Give it a bloody rest already! She knows I am the Devil; she knows that I paid off her Mother to leave her, and she knows that she is the product of a drug dealer!"

"She does. And she ran from you earlier after those revelations."

"Ah, but she came back, and is now sleeping in my bed no less" Lucifer added with a sneer as he crossed his legs.

"She will also see our Father Luci."

Springing to his feet with lightning speed, Lucifer pressed his chest hard against his Brother's as he let out a deep snarl.

"You tell that man to stay away from her…"

"What are you going to do Lucifer? Shield her away from His good graces? Keep her locked up in your nightclub so that she can never see our Father's miracles at work every day that might give her pause to consider his path on her eighteenth birthday?" Feeling his lips twitching as he barred his teeth, Lucifer tried in vain to suppress the low growl radiating from the back of his throat and failed as he stared into his Brother's dark eyes.

"You don't even have to say anything Luci. Your look says it all. You care for her and she obviously feels safe with you."

"Feel free to spread your wings and fly out of here Brother."

Nodding his head as he turned to face the window, Amenadiel closed his eyes and breathed in deeply as he let out a chuckle.

"Smells like rain."

Feeling the great gust of wind from behind him as angel wings carried his Brother back into the sky, Lucifer spun around and slammed both hands down hard against the window, hearing the frame cracking as the glass was locked tight.

 _Try as I may little urchin, I am not one to be reckoned with_ he thought to himself as he moved around the end of his bed. Snatching up his bottle from the bedside table, his eye caught sight of a small piece of folded paper tucked under the lamp.

"What have we here…" Unfolding the paper, he angled it towards the light as his eyes scanned over a rough list of questions, written by the little sleeping beauty.

 _Where in Toronto is the apartment that I lived in?_

 _Did you know my Mother and Father?_

 _Are they in hell?_

 _How much money, did you pay off my Mother?_

 _Why did you save me?_

 _I want to see Hell (is there really a lake of fire and brimstone?)_

"Bloody television, books, and movies have given you a distorted image of what my Kingdom is like" he muttered to himself as he slipped the paper into his pant pocket. Switching off the table lamp with his free hand, Lucifer let out a sigh as he stared down at the sleeping teenager once more.

"Egyptian cotton sheets Miss Harlow, enjoy." Walking out of his bedroom, he stopped to sit the bottle of Vodka down on the lid of his piano before pulling out his mobile phone. Scrolling through his call list, he settled on a single name and brought the device to his ear.

"Call off your hounds Detective, the child has returned."

Fumbling her Blackberry against her ear as she winced at Lucifer's words, Chloe Decker sighed as she rolled over onto her back, pulling her bedsheet up against her chest.

"Is your niece alright?"

 _Niece?_

 _Oh yes_

"Returned on her own and in one piece."

"Great Lucifer,"

Taking a seat on the edge of the beige sofa, he kicked off his shoes and swung his legs to stretch, pulling the red cashmere throw from the back of the seat. Covering himself up as he laid a hand on his chest, Lucifer smiled against the phone as he stared up at the dark ceiling.

"So…what are you wearing?"

"Good night Lucifer,"

"Goo-"hearing the line click dead as he tossed the device towards the end of the sofa, the Devil smiled as he tucked his arm beneath his head.

"Pleasant dreams Lola Cross. Tomorrow, we shall answer your questions."

…

 **Thank you to all for reading! Thank you to brookeworm3, dragonegytianblue, and aesir21 for leaving a review!**

 **Please leave reviews and enjoy!**

 **P.S. Profile picture for story belongs to: tantalizing – apples . blogspot . ca**

 **Brookeworm3 – Thanks for sticking around and reading!**

 **Dragonegytianblue - I agree, Piper does find herself in a lot of situations LOL! Thanks for your review**

 **Aesir21 – Glad you enjoyed this chapter!**


End file.
